Copyright: AD&&D® - Copyright 1999 TSR Inc.
Citation: Copyright 1999 TSR Inc.


The Complete Wizard's Handbook (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS®

2nd Edition Player's Handbook Rules Supplement

The Complete Wizard's Handbook

Table of Contents:

Introduction

Chapter 1: Schools of Magic

To Specialize or Not to Specialize?

Ability Scores

1st-Level Bonus Spell

Personality and Background of the PC

Access to Mentors

Party Composition

Player Preference

Chance to Learn Spells

Short Adventure vs. Long Campaign

About the Schools

Abjuration

Alteration

Conjuration/Summoning

Enchantment/Charm

Greater Divination

Illusion

Invocation/Evocation

Necromancy

Abandoning a School

Mages

Specialists

A Word About Minor Schools

Lesser Divination

New Minor Schools

Chapter 2: Creating New Schools

The Basics of Creating Schools

Type of Magic

Priests vs. Wizards

Categories of Effects

Defining the Effects of a New School

How It All Works

Name of the School

Name of the Specialist

Spells

Basic Spells

Adapting Existing Spells

Ideas for New Spells

Checking for Duplication

Checking for Play Balance

Determining Effects and Levels

Casting Times

Components

Allowed Races

Ability Requirements

Clothing

Experience Levels and Spell Progression

Hit Points

Languages

Oppositional Schools

Ethos

Chapter 3: Wizard Kits

Kits and Character Creation

Kits and Schools of Magic

DM& Choices

The Wizard Kits

A Note About Reaction Adjustments

The Kits

Academician

Amazon Sorceress

Anagakok

Militant Wizard

Mystic

Patrician

Peasant Wizard

Savage Wizard

Witch

Wu Jen

Recording Kits on the Character Sheet

Modifying the Kits

Creating New Kits

Wizard Kit Creation Sheet

Suggestions for New Kits

Chapter 4: Role-Playing

Wizard Personalities

The Altruist

The Brooder

The Commander

The Counselor

The Intimidator

The Mercenary

The Mystery Man

The Neophyte

The Obsessive

The Showman

Changing Personality Types

Ideas for New Personality Types

Character Background

Wizardly Careers

Teacher

Administrator

Advisor

Trader

Physician

Treasure Hunter

Entertainer

Lecturer

Author

Fortune Teller

Alchemist

Wizard Adventures

The Novice Wizard

The Outcast Wizard

Magic's Good Name

Assisting the Citizenry

The Scholarly Quest

Out of Retirement

Magic in the Campaign World

Worlds With Excessive Amounts of Magic

Worlds With Typical Amounts of Magic

Worlds With Low Amounts of Magic

Worlds With No Magic

Campaign Variations

The All-Wizard Campaign

The Single Wizard Kit Campaign

The Restricted School Campaign

The Restricted Level Campaign

Chapter 5: Combat and the Wizard

The Spell Arsenal

The Wizard's Advantages

Spell Categories

Defensive Spells

Offensive Spells

Reconnaissance Spells

Special Spells

A Mix of Spells

Weapon Restriction

Chapter 6: Casting Spells in Unusual Conditions

Casting Spells Underwater

Spells That Are Ineffective Underwater

Spells That Are Modified When Cast Underwater

Casting Spells in Other Planes

The Ethereal Planes

The Inner Planes

The Astral Plane

The Outer Planes

Casting Spells When the Caster is Impaired

Impaired Vision

Impaired Hearing

Impaired Speech

Impaired Movement

Impaired Concentration

Chapter 7: Advanced Procedures

Levels Above 20th

Spells Above 9th-Level

Spell Commentary

1st Level

2nd Level

3rd Level

4th Level

5th Level

7th Level

8th Level

9th Level

More About Adjudicating Illusions

Complexity/Non-Living Objects

Complexity/Living Objects

Magical Effects and Special Attacks

Flaws

Revealed Illusions

Intelligence

The Illusion-Casting Subject

Summary of Modifiers

Spell Research

Defining A New Spell

Spell Components

Cost of Research

The Wizard's Library

Initial Preparation

Research Time and Chance of Success

Example of Research

Researching Existing Spells

Limiting the Success Chance

More About Magical Item Research

Chapter 8: New Spells

Spell Descriptions

Spell Components

Material Components

Verbal and Somatic Components

First-Level Spells

Second-Level Spells

Third-Level Spells

Fourth-Level Spells

Fifth-Level Spells

Sixth-Level Spells

Seventh-Level Spell

Eighth-Level Spells

Chapter 9: Wizardly Lists

Twenty-five Helpful Familiars

Five Unusual Sources for Spells

Nine Magical Items That Have Not Yet Been Invented

Five Debilitating Afflictions

Nine Principles of Conduct for Academy Graduates

Six Common Alchemical Processes

Eleven Useful Additions to a Wizard's Laboratory

Four Prerequisites for Admission to an Academy of Magic

Nineteen Courses in a TypicalAcademy Curriculum

Nine Organizations for Wizards

400 Fantastic Materials

Five Incredible Locations

Twelve New Magical Items

Tables

Table 1: Minimum Spells for a New School

Table 2: Suggested Maximum Damage of Spells By Level

Table 3: Random Determination of Spell Components

Table 4: Magic Schools and Types of Effects

Table 5: Ability Check Bonuses for Academicians

Table 6: Oppositional Schools for Militant Wizards

Table 7: Savage Wizard Omen Results

Table 8: Effects of Witch's Curse

Table 9: Selected Oriental Weapons for the Wu Jen

Table 10: Chance of Random Effects of Alteration Spells in Outer Planes

Table 11: Random Effects of Altered Shapes in the Outer Planes

Table 12: Wizard Experience Levels Beyond 20th

Table 13: Wizard Spell Progression Beyond 20th Level

Table 14: Summary of Possible Modifiers for Saving Throws vs. Illusions

Table 15: Library Values Necessary for Spell Research

Table 16: Chromatic Orb Effects

Table 17: Summoned Familiars

Table 18: Conjuritis Results

Table 19: Random Generation of Fantastic Materials

Table 20: Results from the Garden of Jertulth


Credits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
CREDITS

Design: Rick Swan

Editing: Anne Brown

Black and White Art: Terry Dykstra, Valerie Valusek

Color Art: Clyde Caldwell, David Dorman, Larry Elmore

Typography: Gaye O'Keefe

Graphic Design: Paul Hanchette

Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and AD&D are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

©1990 TSR, Inc. All rights reserved.

Printed in the U. S. A. October 1994

This product is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc.

TSR, Inc.	TSR Ltd.
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Lake Geneva	Cambridge CB1 3LB
WI 53147	U. S. A. United Kingdom

ISBN 0-88038-838-2 2115XXX1501

Table of Contents


Introduction (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Introduction

No concept is more fundamental to the ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® 2nd Edition game than magic. And no character class better personifies the art of magic than its primary practitioner, the wizard. No class is more challenging, few are as elegant, and in the hands of a creative player, none is as fascinating. The AD&D® 2nd Edition Player's Handbook and DUNGEON MASTER® Guide explained all of the basic information necessary for playing wizard characters. In this book, we'll expand on that information, adding more details and options and offering a few new variations. For instance, we'll be taking a close look at all the schools of magic, examining their advantages and disadvantages, their requirements and benefits, and the types of characters that are best suited for particular specializations. Since the schools of magic aren't limited to those presented in the Player's Handbook, we'll show you how to create your own schools from scratch.

We'll discuss ways to personalize your wizard characters and describe entire campaigns centered on wizardly concerns. If you've been bemoaning the lack of spells for certain specialists, such as diviners and necromancers, worry no more -- we've added plenty of new spells just for them.

For the Dungeon Master, we'll offer some tips to help fine-tune his skills as a referee, covering such topics as the adjudication of illusions and how to establish guidelines for magical research. We'll explain how spells are cast underwater and in other planes of existence. And for players and DMs alike, we'll take a close look at combat and how it relates to wizards.

Think of this book as a smorgasbord of ideas. Everything here is optional. Pick and choose whatever's most appealing, make changes to suit your campaign, and experiment with variations of your own design. It's your game and your world -- we're here to help you make it as entertaining as it can be.

Throughout this book, we've used male pronouns as a matter of convenience. This is not intended to exclude females -- in all cases, read "his" as "his or her," and "he" as "he or she. " For those of you using The Complete Wizard in conjunction with the original AD&D game instead of the AD&D 2nd Edition game, this supplement mentions many page numbers from the Player's Handbook and the DUNGEON MASTER Guide. The page numbers cited refer to the AD&D 2nd Edition books. Those players using the old books will have to ignore these page references, but in most cases, you can find the relevant material by consulting the indexes or contents pages of the original books.

Table of Contents


Chapter 1: Schools of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 1: Schools of Magic

In this chapter, we'll take a close look at the various schools of magic, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, examining their spells, and sizing up their specialists. We'll also look at the minor schools and explore the implications of abandoning a school. The schools of magic add many interesting possibilities to a campaign. But not every wizard is destined to be a specialist, and not every player wants to play a specialist character. So let's begin with a basic question

Table of Contents


To Specialize or Not to Specialize (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
To Specialize or Not to Specialize?

The most crucial decision a beginning wizard must make is whether to specialize in a school of magic or instead opt for the life of a mage. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. For instance, the mage has a chance to learn any new spell he encounters, but the specialist's opportunities are more limited -- he cannot learn spells from schools that are in opposition to his own. The specialist has stricter racial and ability requirements than the mage, but he also has better saving throw bonuses.

The choice to specialize can have profound effects on a wizard's role in the game, and players should think carefully before committing their characters to a school of magic. Following are a few points to consider.

Table of Contents


Ability Scores (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Ability Scores

A wizard must meet certain ability requirements to become a specialist. For instance, a wizard with a Dexterity of 15 can't become an illusionist. But even if low ability scores haven't eliminated all of the specialization choices, the player should still look at his character's Intelligence score and see how it affects his chance of learning spells. An Intelligence of 9 means that the character will have a 50 percent chance to learn spells of his speciality based on the normal 35 percent chance to learn a new spell for an Intelligence of 9 (Table 4 on page 16 of the Player's Handbook ) plus a 15 percent bonus for being a specialist.

An Intelligence of 17 means that the character will have a 90 percent chance to learn spells of his specialty (the normal 75 percent chance for an Intelligence of 17 plus a 15 percent bonus for being a specialist). Notice that the 15 percent bonus helps the character with the lower Intelligence more than it does the character with the higher Intelligence; the bonus boosts the Intelligence 9 character's chance from 35 to 50, an increase of more than 40 percent, while the Intelligence 17 character's chance is increased from 75 to 90, which is a boost of only 20 percent.

Clearly, the lower the Intelligence of a wizard, the more specialization helps to increase his chance of learning spells. This is somewhat offset by the specialist's limitations to which spells he can learn (he can't learn spells from oppositional schools), but over the course of a campaign, a low Intelligence wizard stands a good chance of learning more spells by specializing

Table of Contents


1st-Level Bonus Spell (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
1st-Level Bonus Spell

A 1st-level specialist begins with two spells, but a 1st-level mage begins with only one. This difference is inconsequential over the course of a long campaign, but it can be significant if playing a short adventure with low-level characters

Table of Contents


Personality and Background of the Player Character (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Personality and Background of the Player Character

Some aspect of the player character's personality might suggest whether he's best suited for the life of a mage or that of a specialist. An impulsive, overeager character might lack the patience for the studious life of a specialist. Conversely, a thoughtful, scholarly character might find the life of a mage too confining. A character who comes from a long line of mages might want to continue the family tradition. A character whose brother was killed by an evil specialist NPC might want to study the same school to prepare himself for a confrontation with the murderer

Table of Contents


Access to Mentors (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Access to Mentors

Does the wizard character have easy access to a mentor of his preferred school? Is the mentor in ill health, is his city under siege, or is his future otherwise in question? Although there are ways to learn spells without a mentor (or magic academy), the wizard may want to think carefully before committing to a specialization if he can't depend on the availability of his mentor (or academy) for consultation and further training.

Table of Contents


Party Composition (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Party Composition

If the character's party already includes one or more mages, the wizard might choose a specialization to give the party a wider variety of character types. If the party is small, it might be less risky to become a mage so that the character has access to spells of all the schools. Are there other player-character wizards with spell books they'd be willing to share? Would a specialist or a mage have a better chance of learning those spells? (If one PC wizard is a conjurer, his spell book probably won't be useful to a PC wizard who wants to be a diviner.)

Table of Contents


Player Preference (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Player Preference

A player might want to run a wizard of a particular specialty just because he's never tried it before, and that's as good a reason as any to choose a specialist over a mage

Table of Contents


Chance to Learn Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chance to Learn Spells

Consider the opportunities that mages and specialists have to learn new spells, perhaps the most compelling difference between them. As illustration, compare a mage with an Intelligence of 9 and an illusionist with an Intelligence of 9. The mage has a 35 percent chance of learning each new spell he encounters, regardless of its school. The illusionist has a 50 percent chance of learning illusionist spells, a 20 percent chance of learning alteration, divination, enchantment/charm, and conjuration/summoning spells (this percentage reflects the 15 percent penalty for learning spells from other schools). The illusionist has no chance of learning spells from the schools of invocation/evocation, abjuration, or necromancy, since these schools are in opposition to the school of illusion.

Assume that in a typical adventure, the mage and the illusionist each have the opportunity to learn 16 new spells from discovered spell books, NPC wizards, and other sources. Also assume that of these 16 spells, two are from each of the eight schools. The mage has a 35 percent chance of learning each of these spells, meaning that he is likely to learn five or six of them. The illusionist is denied the chance to learn six of them (from the oppositional schools); he has a 50 percent chance of learning two of them (meaning he is likely to learn one of the two), and a 20 percent chance of learning eight of them (meaning he is likely to learn two spells). In this example, the mage learns six spells, while the illusionist learns only three.

It doesn't improve for specialists with higher Intelligence scores; at Intelligence 16, for instance, a mage will learn about 12 of the 16 spells, while the illusionist will learn approximately eight of them.

Of course, the specialist receives a bonus spell when he advances a level, and the differences are less severe for certain specialties (diviners, for instance, are denied access to only one school). But over the course of a typical campaign, a mage will likely learn far more spells than a specialist

Table of Contents


Short Adventure vs. Long Campaign (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Short Adventure vs. Long Campaign

Since there is no meaningful difference between a mage and a specialist in their abilities to cast the spells they know, wouldn't the wise player always choose to play a mage? Not necessarily. In the long run, the specialist's experience bonus, saving throw bonuses, and acquired powers (see the listings in the school descriptions below) make him a far more formidable opponent than the mage. Additionally, the limits on the number of spells a wizard can use and know mean that the specialist will eventually catch up to the mage in these areas.

One guideline for deciding between a mage and a specialist might be to consider a mage if playing a short adventure. But for a lengthy campaign, a specialist is probably the best bet; not only will he prove to be a more effective party member, but a character with focused goals and aptitudes will be more interesting to play

Table of Contents


About the Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
About the Schools

Following are details about specialists for each school of magic. Each includes the following information:

Description: This section explains the general effects created by spells from the school, along with how the magical energy is channelled.

Specialist Name: The common name for a specialist of this school.

Allowed Races: Only humans, gnomes, elves, and half-elves can be specialists, and not all races are able to specialize in every school. This entry indicates which races are eligible to specialize in a particular school.

Ability Requirements: Though all schools require a minimum Intelligence of 9, each has an additional minimum requirement in another ability and is listed here.

Saving Throw Modifiers: Because of their familiarity with the arcane arts, specialists are able to resist the effects of certain forms of magic. Additionally, their opponents are less able to resist certain spells cast by specialists rather than non-specialists. These are listed here.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: These are the special abilities and extra spells that specialists automatically receive when they reach high levels. (The use of acquired powers is an option only; at the DM's discretion, he can eliminate them from his campaign, or even develop others for high-level specialists. )

Oppositional Schools: The specialist is unable to learn spells from these schools. He is also forbidden to use magical items that duplicate the effects of schools in opposition to his own school.

Spell Analysis: This section discusses the spells available to the school, including their general types and their overall usefulness to the wizard. For convenience, spells are divided into three categories: Low (1st-3rd level), Medium (4th-6th level), and High (7th-9th level). The most versatile and powerful spells are designated as the "Most Desirable" for each of these categories.

Ethos: This section details the wizard's relationship to society, his goals and values, his overall philosophy, how he spends his time, and his likely role in an adventuring party. Since certain types of people tend to veer toward the same fields of study, some personality descriptions common to specialists of the school are also included.

Note that these are general guidelines only, and any number of exceptions are possible, but they can be used to help the player shape his character's personality or help him decide which school seems most appropriate for the character he has in mind

Table of Contents


Abjuration (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Abjuration

Description: Spells of this school focus magical energies to provide protection. This protection can take a number of forms, including warding off specific types of weapons or creatures and discouraging or dispelling enemies. The school also includes a variety of spells involving avoidance and repellence. Abjuration spells concentrate on eliminating or hindering sources of potential harm rather than repairing damage.

Specialist Name: Abjurer.

Allowed Races: Only humans can be abjurers. It's speculated that the natural magical resistance of elves, half-elves, and gnomes prevents them from mastering abjuration spells.

Ability Requirements: A wizard must have strong intuition and exceptional willpower to master abjuration spells as reflected in a high Wisdom score. Specialists in this school must have a minimum Wisdom of 15.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against an abjuration spell cast by an abjurer. An abjurer adds a +1 bonus when saving against abjuration spells.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An abjurer can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of abjuration; thus, a 1st-level abjurer can memorize two spells. When an abjurer reaches 17th level, he acquires immunity to all forms of hold spells and adds a +1 bonus when saving against poison, paralyzation, and death magic. When an abjurer reaches 20th level, his mastery of magical protective forces has become so powerful that his Armor Class is raised from 10 to 9. He is still forbidden to wear armor.

Oppositional Schools: An abjurer cannot learn spells from the schools of alteration and illusion.

Spell Analysis: The abjurer has a limited number of spells from which to choose, particularly in the lower levels. This lack of options makes low-level abjurers among the weakest of beginning wizards. To compensate, he should acquire a few low-level spells from other available schools as early in his career as possible. Offensive spells-- that is, spells that inflict damage-- from the school of alteration are especially good choices, such as burning hands, shocking grasp, strength, and Melf's minute meteors. As he reaches higher levels of ability and is able to take advantage of the more powerful abjuration spells available to him, an abjurer should become less dependent on spells from other schools.

There are three general types of abjuration spells: protective, dispelling, and dismissal. Protective spells include those that offer protection from creatures (such as protection from evil), those that protect against weapons (such as protection from normal missiles), and those that protect against certain types of magic (such as minor globe of invulnerability). Dispelling spells cause the elimination of specific magical effects, such as dispel magic and remove curse. Dismissal spells cause the removal of certain creatures, such as dismissal and banishment.

Since the most effective abjurations are those offering the greatest protection, it seems that the dismissal spells are the most desirable-- after all, they get rid of the attacker altogether. However, dismissal spells are effective only against very specific types of attackers, such as banishment 's dismissal of extraplanar creatures. Unless the wizard anticipates encountering the type of creature affected, a dismissal spell won't be helpful. Since protection spells usually affect only a single individual, the best all-purpose abjurations are the dispelling spells; dispel magic for instance, employed against a magic-wielding enemy protects not only the caster, but the entire party.

The abjurer is at a disadvantage when attacking. There are very few abjuration spells that inflict damage either directly or indirectly. But in terms of defensive capabilities, the abjurer is second to none. When a party is exploring potentially dangerous territory, the abjurer makes an ideal point man, placing him in an excellent position to create defenses against attackers. The abjurer, like all wizards, has a poor Armor Class, making him extremely vulnerable to damage. A comrade with a lot of hit points and a low AC should accompany the abjurer near the front of the party, ready to intercept attacks and act as the abjurer's bodyguard.

Abjurers also operate well in conjunction with other wizards. While the abjurer casts magical defenses, a fellow wizard can concentrate on creating magical offenses. When traveling, abjurers make good guards for helpless NPCs, such as small children and elderly citizens. Does the party have a treasure map, a valuable gem, or other prized possession? With his repertoire of protective spells, the abjurer may be the best person to carry them.

Most Desirable Spells: Low-Level: Dispel magic is not only the best of the low-level abjuration spells, it should be a part of any wizard's arsenal (excluding, of course, those specialists to whom abjuration is forbidden). Dispel magic can effectively disarm many opponents, and it can also negate harmful or potentially harmful magical devices. Abjurers would do well to acquire this spell early in their careers. Protection from evil is another useful spell, considering how often a typical party encounters evil creatures and evil NPCs. Of the two 3rd-level protection spells, an abjurer will likely find protection from evil, 10' radius to be more helpful than protection from normal missiles, since he will probably have more opportunities to use the former than the latter. Note that protection from normal missiles can be extremely helpful when traveling through primitive areas where the inhabitants are more likely to use rocks and spears than swords and maces. 	Medium-Level: Fire trap not only offers superb protection, it's one of the few abjuration spells capable of inflicting damage. Avoidance has the twin advantages of being reversible and permanent. Anti-magic shell is generally preferable to globe of invulnerability; not only does it last longer, it's stronger and takes less time to cast.

High-Level: Spell turning and Serten's spell immunity are extremely powerful spells that should be useful in any hostile environment. In most situations, prismatic sphere is the best high-level abjuration spell; it not only provides a variety of defenses, it is also capable of blinding most opponents and inflicting a sizeable amount of damage.

Ethos: Concerned with protection, abjurists have a deep reverence for life and are attracted to philosophies stressing compassion and selflessness. Accordingly, most abjurers are of good alignment. Evil-aligned abjurers are often toadies of an intimidating evil warrior or in the service of a more powerful wizard of another school. Abjurers tend to be thoughtful, orderly, gentle-natured, and soft-spoken, going out of their way not to attract attention.

Of all the wizards, abjurers seem to have the strongest family ties. Abjurers take comfort in the security of marriage and often choose their mates at an early age; many abjurers have ten or more offspring. Owing to their mastery of protective forces, abjurers tend to live to a ripe old age; it's not unusual to find abjurers well into their eighties in adventuring parties.

Abjurers make their homes anywhere, but prefer small villages to large cities. Because of their kind hearts and generous spirits, abjurers are held in high esteem by society in general. Abjurers commonly earn a living as guides, bodyguards, merchants, and teachers

Table of Contents


Alteration (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Alteration

Description: Spells of this school enable the caster to channel magical energies to cause direct and specific change in an existing object, creature, or condition. Alterations can affect a subject's form (polymorph other), weight (feather fall), abilities (strength), location (teleport without error), or even his physical well-being (death fog).

Specialist Name: Transmuter.

Allowed Races: Only a caster with human blood can channel the magical energies necessary for alteration spells. Hence, only humans and half-elves can become transmuters.

Ability Requirements: Because alteration spells have somewhat more complex somatic components than spells from other schools, a wizard needs a Dexterity score of at least 15 to become a transmuter.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against an alteration spell cast by a transmuter. A transmuter adds a +1 bonus when saving against alteration spells cast by others.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A transmuter can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of alteration. When a transmuter reaches 17th level, he receives one extra non- weapon wizard proficiency of his choice; this is in addition to the number of non-weapon proficiencies he is normally allowed. When he reaches 20th level, he receives another extra non-weapon wizard proficiency. If the wizard already has all of the non-weapon wizard proficiencies available to him when he reaches level 17 (or level 20), he may take a general non-weapon proficiency instead.

Oppositional Schools: A transmuter can't learn spells from the schools of abjuration and necromancy.

Spell Analysis: No school has a wider variety of spells than the school of alteration, making the transmuter the most versatile of all the specialists. The available spells can be assigned to six general groups:

1. Defensive Spells. This group of protective spells offers defensive capabilities rivaling those of the abjuration school. This group includes spells that limit an opponent's ability to attack, such as fog cloud, solid fog, slow, and darkness, 15' radius, and also spells that provide direct protection to the caster and his party, such as stoneskin and Leomund's tiny hut.

2. Offensive Spells. This group includes spells such as strength and haste which increase the party's chance to inflict damage, and spells such as Melf's minute meteors and death fog which inflict damage directly.

3. Mobility Spells. This group includes fly, blink, passwall, and teleport and other spells that improve the caster's ability to move from place to place.

4. Security Spells. This group enables the caster to protect objects and places, and includes spells such as wizard lock, guards and wards, and Leomund's secret chest.

5. Talent Spells. This group gives the caster (or a person of the caster's choice) a temporary talent, usually one that duplicates a special ability of another creature or race. Such spells include infravision, water breathing, and tongues.

6. Special Spells. This group encompasses a wide range of spells that don't fit into into any of the previous categories, such as magic mouth, mending, message, and fool's gold. Because of the variety of spells available, a transmuter can assume a number of different roles in an adventuring party. For instance, a transmuter who knows a number of offensive spells can battle effectively alongside a party's warriors. A transmuter who knows a few mobility spells in addition to some offensive spells makes an especially impressive combatant (imagine a flying transmuter soaring to the top of a tree, then casting Melf's minute meteors at an unsuspecting enemy). With a supply of defensive spells, a transmuter can assume many of the functions of an abjurer. A transmuter with spider climb, deeppockets, and knock is a good substitution for a thief; add polymorph self and passwall, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better spy. The transmuter always runs the risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of available spells and making haphazard or ill-informed decisions about which spells he learns and memorizes. Therefore, he must take care to balance his spell choices with the needs of his party.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: Of the 1st-level spells, burning hands is a nice choice for an offensive spell since it has a longer range than shocking grasp and does more damage at higher levels. Chromatic orb is a better choice yet. With its reversible option, enlarge gives the transmuter a wealth of options and is particularly useful in combat since it affects damage rolls. Fog cloud and pyrotechnics both have two different forms, essentially giving the transmuter two spells for the price of one. Fly expands the transmuter's strategic options and is perhaps the best all-around low-level alteration spell. Both slow and haste can influence melee combat dramatically, since a number of subjects are affected at the same time.

Medium-Level: Polymorph self and polymorph other can disguise friendly characters, intimidate enemies, and in the case of polymorph other, greatly enhance the party's chance of combat success, since the subject's Armor Class and attack routines can be improved by the spell. Death fog and disintegrate are powerful offensive spells, and teleport is a first-rate mobility spell. Of the medium-level spells, there are none better than Tenser's transformation, assuming the transmuter has a dagger or staff at hand to take advantage of his increased attack effectiveness, and Mordenkainen's lucubration, which gives the transmuter access to any 1st-level through 5th-level spell used in the previous 24 hours.

High-Level: Incendiary cloud is a terrific offensive spell, and shape change and time stop are both helpful in a variety of situations. The most useful high- level spell is probably polymorph any object, since it can duplicate the effects of many other spells, including polymorph other, transmute rock to mud, and stone to flesh.

Ethos: Wizards drawn to the specialty of alteration are typically curious, sharp-minded, and deeply analytical. Fascinated by putting things together and taking them apart again, they are natural tinkerers, more interested in objects than in people.

Transmuters generally aren't prone to profound philosophic insights, as their minds are more attuned to how things work than how a society functions.  To a transmuter, a person is essentially a complicated, difficult-to-understand machine.  They are obsessive collectors, excellent scholars, and clear thinkers.  According to a transmuter, the only constant in the universe is change; concepts of good and evil are relative, dependent on existing conditions, and seldom permanent. Forces of good and evil are constantly at work on neutrality, but since good causes less disruption than evil, good is preferable.  Consequently, many transmuters are of good alignments.

Eager to explore the world around them, transmuters are willing members of adventuring parties. They are loyal followers but reluctant leaders, since they have trouble making decisions based on instinct alone. Although loyal to their friends, they seldom establish close relationships. Married transmuters are few.

Transmuters are most comfortable in large cities where they have access to a variety of supplies, consultants, and other resources for their studies. Most societies welcome transmuters, generally considering them to be emotionally distant but harmless eccentrics. Transmuters commonly earn their livings as teachers, advisors, inventors, and manufacturers of medicines, potions, and other preparations

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Conjuration/Summoning (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Conjuration/Summoning

Description: This school includes two different types of magic, though both involve bringing in matter from another place. Conjuration spells produce various forms of non-living matter. Summoning spells entice or compel creatures to come to the caster, as well as allowing the caster to channel forces from other planes. Since the casting techniques and ability requirements are the same for both types of magic, conjuration and summoning are considered two parts of the same school.

Specialist Name: Conjurer. A specialist who has learned only summoning spells sometimes calls himself a summoner, but this is merely a matter of semantics and has no bearing on the specialist's abilities, restrictions, or effectiveness.

Allowed Races: A wizard must have human blood to be a conjurer. Therefore, humans and half-elves can specialize in this school, but elves cannnot.

Ability Requirements: A wizard must have exceptional stamina to spend a lifetime casting conjuration and summoning spells, since he is at times tapping into his own life force in order to create conjured matter or lure summoned creatures. Therefore, a wizard must have a Constitution score of at least 15 to specialize in this school.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against a conjuration or summoning spell cast by a conjurer. A conjurer adds a +1 bonus when saving against conjuration spells or attacks from creatures or forces created by summoning spells.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A conjurer can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of conjuration/summoning. When a conjurer reaches 17th level, he no longer requires any material components to cast conjuration and summoning spells. When a conjurer reaches 20th level, he gains the ability to instantly dispel creatures conjured by an opponent who has used a monster summoning spell or its equivalent. The conjurer can dispel up to 10 Hit Dice worth of creatures with this ability; only creatures with 5 HD or fewer are affected (therefore, the conjurer could dispel two 5 HD creatures or ten 1 HD creatures, but not a 6 HD creature). The conjurer can use this ability up to three times per day by pointing at the creatures to be affected and concentrating.

Oppositional Schools: A conjurer cannot learn spells from the schools of greater divination and invocation/evocation.

Spell Analysis: Although the conjurer doesn't have an excessive number of specialty spells from which to choose, spells of the conjuration/summoning school are among the most potent of all, comparable only to the school of necromancy in sheer power.

Though useful in a wide variety of situations, conjuration/summoning spells are particularly effective in combat, since the majority of them are capable of inflicting damage.

Generally, conjuration spells such as Melf's acid arrow inflict damage directly, while summoning spells, such as monster summoning, use an intermediary force or monster to attack opponents. Direct attacks have the advantage of immediacy; Melf's acid arrow, for instance, is sent directly at its target. Indirect attacks using an intermediary have the advantage of versatility; giant rats summoned by monster summoning I can be directed to attack the stationary Opponent No. 1, then can be ordered to run down the fleeing Opponent No. 2.

Many summoning attacks require the continual participation of the conjurer; he can't control his summoned creatures if he can't communicate with them. This is especially crucial with spells such as conjure elemental, where the summoned creature will turn on the conjurer if the conjurer breaks his concentration.

Conjurers who learn a large number of spells to summon creatures are better in large parties; the more companions he has, the more protection he has available if a need arises for his comrades to run interference, helping to ensure that his concentration remains unbroken. When traveling, such conjurers should remain in the center of the party, traditionally the safest spot. As members of smaller parties, conjurers are more effective knowing a variety of conjuration/summoning spells, particularly those that inflict damage directly; a conjurer with only one or two companions may find it difficult-- and dangerous-- to cast conjure elemental.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: Melf's acid arrow, summon swarm, and flame arrow are excellent offensive spells, but monster summoning I is the prize -- a clever conjurer should find numerous uses for, say, eight giant rats.

Medium-Level: The monster summoning spells are the best. Conjure elemental, Mordenkainen's faithful hound, and summon shadow can turn the tide in just about any battle with low or medium level opponents.

High-Level: This group includes what most wizards consider to be the most prized spell of any school, wish. Limited wish is nearly as potent.

Because DMs vary widely in how they handle wishes, players with conjurer characters might want to discuss with their DM his parameters for adjudicating these types of spells. (See the Spell Commentary section in Chapter 7 for more about wishes.)  In addition to wishes, high-level conjuration/summoning spells offer the conjurer some extremely powerful offensive spells. The all-around best in combat are power word, kill; prismatic sphere; and the monster summoning spells.

Ethos: Because of the great power they wield, most conjurers are utterly convinced that their specialty is superior to all others. Illusion and divination are trivial, alteration and invocation are inconsequential, abjuration and enchantment are too weak, and necromancy is too repulsive. Though tending toward smugness and arrogance, conjurers are also confident, courageous, and bright.

Conjurers tend to rely on summoned creatures to perform difficult tasks for them; hence, many conjurers grow flabby as the years pass. Many consider conjurers to be downright lazy.

Conjurers recognize the importance of keeping evil in check, and most are of good alignment. Evil conjurers flourish, however, particularly those who maintain contact with evil entities summoned from other planes of existence.

Conjurers speak their minds freely and have little patience for the opinions of those they consider to be inferior; it takes a leader of proven worth and unyielding strength to earn the respect of a conjurer. In an adventuring party, conjurers tend to prefer action to discussion, and attacking to negotiating. Conjurers relish every opportunity for combat in order to demonstrate their power.

Since conjurers have little interest in associating with common people, they prefer to live in isolated areas of the countryside. Most consider children a nuisance, so even the few conjurers who marry typically remain childless by choice.

Aside from magical research, conjurers shun all activities that would normally constitute a career or occupation. When funds are low, conjurers can always summon creatures to fetch treasure for them

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Enchantment/Charm (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Enchantment/Charm

Description: Similar to the school of conjuration/summoning, this school encompasses two general types of spells. Both types imbue their subjects with magical energy to create specific effects. Charm spells induce changes or influence the behavior of creatures, usually altering their subject's mental or emotional states. Enchantment spells invest non-living objects with magical powers. Neither charm nor enchantment spells have any effect on their subject's physical form.

Specialist Name: Enchanter.

Allowed Races: Humans, half-elves, and elves can all become enchanters.

Ability Requirements: Since influencing the will of others is in part a manifestation of the caster's personal charm, a wizard must have a Charisma of at least 16 to specialize as an enchanter.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against an enchantment/charm spell cast by an enchanter. An enchanter adds a +1 bonus when saving against enchantment/charm spells.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An enchanter can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of enchantment/charm. When an enchanter reaches 17th level, he acquires immunity to all forms of charm spells. When an enchanter reaches 20th level, he gains the ability to cast a special free action spell once per day. The enchanter can cast this spell on himself or any creature he touches. No material components are required for this spell and the casting time is 1; the enchanter merely touches the subject to be affected and concentrates. When enchanted with free action, the subject is able to move and attack normally for one hour, even under the influence of a spell that impedes movement such as web or slow. The spell negates the effects of hold spells. Underwater, the subject moves at normal surface speed and inflicts full damage with weapons, provided that the weapon is wielded and not hurled.

Oppositional Schools: An enchanter cannot learn spells from the schools of invocation/evocation and necromancy.

Spell Analysis: The enchanter has a moderate number of spells from which to choose, most of them emphasizing defensive rather than offensive effects. Not only can this school of spells be divided into charms and enchantments, the spells can also be divided into those that affect only a single person or object, and those capable of affecting a group.

Generally, the group-affecting spells are more useful to the enchanter, but he must consider their ranges and durations when deciding which spells to learn and memorize. For instance, both ray of enfeeblement and Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter are 2nd-level enchantment/charm spells that inflict penalties on the attack and damage rolls of opponents. Ray of enfeeblement affects only one creature, while Tasha's laughter affects all those within a 30-foot cube. But note that even though Tasha's laughter inflicts a higher damage penalty, it lasts only a single round (although the effects essentially carry over into the next round). Ray of enfeeblement lasts 1 round/level; when cast at higher levels, this spell can be extremely debilitating. And though the 60-yard range of Tasha's laughter makes the range of ray of enfeeblement look dismal by comparison (10 yards + 5 yards/level), note that at higher levels, the range of ray of enfeeblement increases dramatically, while the range of Tasha's laughter stays the same.

The shortcoming of the enchantment/charm catalog is the lack of offensive spells. Only a handful of them are capable of inflicting damage. This usually defines the enchanter's role in an adventuring party as defensive. As with the abjurer, it should be noted that with his low AC, the enchanter is extremely vulnerable to attacks. A bodyguard with a high AC or a lot of hit points is more of a necessity than a luxury for an enchanter. Unlike an abjurer, whose defensive spells operate more or less automatically, the enchanter's defensive spells often require him to take an additional action after they are successfully cast. A hypnotized victim, for instance, needs to be told what to do, as does a subject affected by suggestion. Charmed creatures may simply stand and stare unless directed otherwise by the caster. Clearly, the most effective enchanters are those who are creative, quick-thinking, and vigilant.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: Nearly all of the low- level enchantment/charm spells are defensive. The best are those that allow the enchanter the most latitude in the number of creatures he can affect, such as hypnotism, sleep, scare, and Tasha's uncontrollable hideous laughter. Though it affects only one creature, suggestion can be an extremely useful spell in the hands of a creative caster; with a duration of 1 hour + 1 hour/level, it's also among the longest-lasting low-level spells. 	Medium-Level: Enchanted weapon is one of the few offensive spells available in this school, a valuable addition to any enchanter's repertoire. Charm monster and hold monster have the advantage of being able to affect a variety of opponents. Magic mirror effectively substitutes for a crystal ball and other scrying devices. Mass suggestion and eyebite have the most possibilities of all the medium-level spells in the hands of a creative caster.

High-Level: Unfortunately, few high-level enchantment/charm spells are available to the enchanter. For their variety of uses, antipathy-sympathy, binding, and mass charm are the best all-purpose spells. In lieu of a conjurer, demand essentially functions as a conjuration spell.

Ethos: With their high Charisma, enchanters tend to be the most physically attractive and personable of all the specialists. They are sensitive, passionate, and caring. They believe in the sanctity of life and share the druid's love of nature. Most enchanters see themselves as protectors of the helpless and advocates of the weak, but there are some who see their mastery of enchantment magic as evidence of their inevitable ascendance in the world. Notably, there are ample numbers of good and evil enchanters, but few neutral ones.

Enchanters are commonly the voice of reason in adventuring parties. They are often able to devise options and solutions that have eluded their companions. They are excellent team-players, superb negotiators, and shrewd bargainers. They enjoy fine arts and good conversation, and are fascinated by magic in all its forms. It is not unusual for an enchanter to acquire dozens of close friends. Though deeply romantic, enchanters often marry late in life, as they are reluctant to settle down with just one person.

Fond of the simple life, enchanters usually live in modest homes in small villages. They spend much of their time tinkering with magical potions and devices, commonly earning money as counselors, teachers, and farmers

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Greater Divination (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Greater Divination

Description: This school includes a variety of spells that reveal information that would otherwise remain hidden or secret. Greater divination spells reveal the existence of specific items, creatures, or conditions, as well as information about the past, present, and future. This school also includes spells that contact creatures from other planes of existence, but do not induce direct action from those creatures.

Specialist Name: Diviner.

Allowed Races: Elves, half-elves, and humans are all eligible to specialize as diviners. (Note that Table 22 on page 31 of the Player's Handbook is incorrect-- gnomes cannot be diviners. )

Ability Requirements: A wizard must have a strong intuition and exceptional willpower to master divination spells, reflected in a high Wisdom score. Specialists in this school must have a minimum Wisdom score of 16.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against a divination spell cast by a diviner. A diviner adds a +1 bonus when saving against divination spells or any magical devices that duplicate these effects.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A diviner can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of divination.

When a diviner reaches 17th level, he acquires immunity to all forms of scrying spells, such as ESP and know alignment, as well as immunity against magical items that duplicate these effects. An opponent using ESP on a 17th level diviner has no more success than if he were attempting to read the mind of a stone. An opponent using clairaudience on an unseen 17th level diviner neither receives information nor becomes aware of the diviner's presence.

When a diviner reaches 19th level, he receives the ability to cast a special find traps spell three times per day. The spell has an area of effect equal to a 10-foot-path up to a range of 30 yards. To cast the spell, the diviner must merely point in the desired direction and concentrate; no verbal or material components are required. Similar to the 2nd-level priest spell, find traps reveals the existence of all normally concealed magical and mechanical traps, including alarms, glyphs, and similar spells and devices. The diviner learns the general nature of the trap (magical or mechanical) but not its exact effect or how to disarm it.

When a diviner reaches 20th level, he receives the ability to cast a special divination spell once per day. To cast the spell, the diviner must concentrate for one full turn; no verbal or material components are required. Similar to the 4th-level priest spell, divination reveals a useful piece of advice concerning a specific goal, event, or activity that will occur within the next seven days. The revelation may take the form of an omen, a short phrase, or a cryptic verse, but it always reveals specific advice. In all cases, the DM controls the type of information revealed and whether additional divinations will supply additional information. The base chance for a correct divination is 80 percent, adjusted by the DM for unusual circumstances or extreme requests (such as a diviner trying to learn the exact location of a powerful artifact). If the dice roll fails, the diviner knows that the spell failed, unless specific magic yielding false information is at work.

Oppositional Schools: The diviner is denied access to the school of conjuration/summoning.

Spell Analysis: The variety of spells available to the diviner is more restricted than any other school or specialist.  Offensive spells -- that is, those that inflict damage on opponents either directly or indirectly -- are nonexistent for this school.  Defensive spells that either inhibit an enemy's attack ability or provide direct protection for the diviner and his companions are likewise unavailable.  This doesn't mean that the diviner is useless on the battlefield; it means that his strength lies elsewhere.

As a gatherer of information, the diviner is without peer. A diviner can anticipate unexpected dangers, can separate the truth from lies, and is exceptionally effective as a spy. He can bolster his party's defenses by alerting them to the presence of normally undetectable opponents. Although the repertoire of divination spells is relatively small, the diviner has access to more schools than any other specialist.

There are two general groups of greater divination spells. One group includes spells that reveal information about a specific object or creature, such as ESP and locate object. A second group reveals information about any type of object or creature within the range of the spell; this group includes detect invisibility and clairvoyance.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: All 1st-level through 4th-level divination spells are part of the lesser divination school, and are available to all schools. These are discussed in more detail in the Lesser Divination section below. However, a well-rounded diviner will have detect magic, read magic, and ESP included in his repertoire; know alignment and clairvoyance are also important basic divination spells.

Medium-Level: All of the medium-level divination spells are strong, with legend lore and true seeing likely to get the most use. Contact other plane is a valuable spell if the diviner's party lacks a conjurer or other wizard capable of contacting extraplanar creatures.

High-Level: With only a handful of high-level greater divination spells, the diviner has few choices. Note that foresight is one of the few divination spells that offers the diviner protection from harm.

Ethos: Diviners are perhaps the wisest of all wizards. Their investigations into the world around them and their perusal of events of the past and the future empower them with a base of knowledge and insight rivaled only by the most learned scholars. A diviner typically possesses a striking insight into the workings of men's minds; few are better judges of character than diviners.

Diviners tend to be cautious and deliberate in their actions. Because their divinations have taught them that men are prone to hiding their true feelings and motivations, many diviners are suspicious and distrustful, sometimes to the point of cynicism. Those diviners who allow distrust and cynicism to overwhelm them tend to be of evil alignment. Those who accept man's ambiguous character as a part of the natural order tend to be of neutral alignment. Those who maintain faith in man's innate goodness tend to be of good alignment.

Diviners are not predisposed to the adventuring life, and accept such a career only reluctantly. They are not natural combatants; in fact, wizards lacking in physical prowess are drawn to divination more than any other specialty. Still, diviners make valuable additions to adventuring parties; their judgement, cunning, and plain common sense are welcome commodities. A party must take care to provide protection for diviners since they usually lack any significant ability to defend themselves.

Diviners are loners at heart and do not make close friends easily. They rarely raise large families. Diviners of good alignment generally harbor no ill feelings against other people, and will usually assist them when asked. Still, they prefer to live alone in remote areas where they can conduct their research and investigation undisturbed. Stone towers on cliff sides or atop high hills are ideal residences for diviners. Though they show little interest in material possessions, diviners earn money by charging for their services as seers, fortune-tellers, and finders of lost objects and persons

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Illusion (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Illusion

Description: Spells from the school of illusion bend reality to create apparent changes in the environment, in the caster, or in other persons or creatures. These spells do not cause real changes as alteration spells do, but instead alter the way that creatures and persons perceive reality. This school includes both illusion and phantasm spells (the differences are discussed in the Spell Analysis section below).

Specialist Name: Illusionist.

Allowed Races: Humans and gnomes are eligible to become illusionists. It's not clear why elves and half-elves are unable to specialize in this school, though some speculate that the same inborn magical resistance that helps make them immune to charm spells also limits their ability to focus the magical energy needed to create illusions.

Ability Requirements: The somatic components of most medium-level and high-level illusions require precise physical manipulations. Therefore, to specialize as an illusionist, a wizard must have a minimum Dexterity score of 16.

Saving Throw Modifiers: Illusionists add a +1 bonus when rolling saving throws against any type of illusion. Opponents suffer a -1 penalty when rolling saving throws against illusion/phantasm spells cast by an illusionist. These modifiers are only used against illusions where saving throws are applicable.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An illusionist can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of illusion.

When an illusionist reaches 18th level, he adds a +1 bonus when saving against illusions cast by non-illusionists. (Since this is in addition to his natural +1 modifier, his saving throw bonus against these attack forms effectively becomes +2.)

When an illusionist reaches 20th level, he acquires the ability to cast a special dispel illusion spell three times per day. The spell has a range of 30 yards and a casting time of 1. To cast this spell, the illusionist merely points at the subject and concentrates; no somatic or material components are required. This spell enables the illusionist to dispel any type of phantasmal force, including those augmented by audible glamer; however, dispel illusion is effective only on phantasmal force spells cast by non-illusionists.

Dispel illusion has a base chance of success of 50 percent. For each level of experience that the illusionist exceeds the caster of the phantasmal force, the chance of success is increased by 5 percent. For each level the caster exceeds the illusionist, the chance is reduced by 5 percent. (For instance, if a 20th-level illusionist attempts to dispel a phantasmal force created by a 15th-level mage, the illusionist's chance of success is 75 percent. ) If an illusionist casts dispel illusion at a subject that isn't an illusion, there is no effect, but the attempt counts against the illusionist's daily limit of dispel illusion spells.

Oppositional Schools: An illusionist cannot learn spells from the schools of necromancy, invocation/evocation, and abjuration.

Spell Analysis: Spells of this school can be grouped into two general categories: illusions and phantasms. Illusions are spells that simulate reality, creating artificial conditions of light, color, sound, and scent. Audible glamer is an example of an illusion that simulates sound. In general, the lower-level illusions are of limited use in combat situations, providing neither direct protection from damage nor the ability to inflict damage on opponents. Though most illusions create only the appearance of reality, some high-level spells tap extradimensional forces to create illusions with physical substance, capable of inflicting damage and otherwise interacting with the real world. Shadow monsters is an example of a quasi-real illusion. These are the most useful types of illusion spells in combat, as they can create illusionary creatures to attack opponents and execute an assortment of other tactical actions. Another type of illusion focuses extradimensional forces to alter the physical form of the caster. Wraithform is an example. These are especially good defensive spells, as they protect the caster from a variety of attack forms.

Phantasms are the second general group of illusion spells. Phantasms directly manipulate the perception of their victims. Phantasms do not create images, they induce responses. Spook is an example of a phantasm that induces the response of fear. Phantasms are also good defensive spells, more so than illusions that alter the caster's form, since they can affect a number of opponents within a given range.

Because spells from the school of illusion are mainly concerned with the creation of images and are of limited use on the battlefield, many feel that illusionists are the weakest of all the specialists. In a broad sense, however, no school provides a wizard with more options, since in most cases, illusion spells are limited only by the caster's imagination. For instance, consider the 1st-level illusion spell phantasmal force. A dull-witted wizard might consider this a useless spell; after all, its illusions have only visual components. A silent monster might scare away a nervous bandit, but what else can you do with it?  Plenty, answers the creative illusionist, and the effects aren't confined to the battlefield. Here are some examples:

•	The party is being pursued by a hoard of orcs. The wizard uses phantasmal force to create the illusion of a wall of bramble bushes behind the party to slow down the pursuers. Alternately, he creates a swarm of wasps, a cloud of ominous green gas, or a pool of quicksand to slow them down.

•	The hungry party wants to catch some fish for the evening meal. They have lines and hooks, but no bait. The wizard uses phantasmal force to create a colorful, sparkling lure.

•	The party wishes to lure an enemy into a cave for an ambush. The wizard uses phantasmal force to create the illusion of great treasure just inside the cave and -- in goes the greedy enemy.

•	The wizard has met a beautiful damsel whom he wishes to impress. He takes her to a secluded woodland and uses phantasmal force to create the illusion of a patch of beautiful wild flowers.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: Phantasmal force, ventriloquism, improved phantasmal force, and spectral force are the most versatile low- level illusionist spells when wielded by a creative caster. Spook, invisibility, wraithform, and invisibility, 10' radius are excellent defensive spells.

Medium-Level: With access to 4th-level and higher spells, the illusionist becomes a strong combatant, as he can take advantage of powerful, quasi-real illusions such as phantasmal killer, shadow monsters, demi-shadow monsters, shadow magic, demi-shadow magic, and shades. The options for the creative illusionist also expand, with access to the complex creations possible with minor creation, advanced illusion, major creation, permanent illusion, and programmed illusion.

High-Level: Unfortunately, the number of spells available to the illusionist drops dramatically at higher levels. Shadow walk is invaluable if the wizard anticipates travel to the plane of shadow; in certain situations, it also functions as an effective banishment spell. Mass invisibility can mean the difference between victory and defeat in combat involving a large number of participants. Simulacrum has the most possibilities of all the creation illusions, while weird can be the most deadly of all the offensive illusion spells.

Ethos: Illusionists tend to be flamboyant, outgoing, and self-assured. Remarkably creative, they enjoy art, literature, poetry, and music, and many are accomplished artists in their own rights. Though their aptitude for scholarly pursuits is as high as any other specialist, illusionists tend to spend less time involved in research, preferring the company of people to the isolation of the laboratory.

Illusionists have sharp minds, but they are not particularly deep thinkers. Pragmatic by nature, they accept the impermanence of all things, believing that any attempt at developing an all- encompassing philosophy to explain the meaning of existence is ultimately futile and therefore a waste of time. Illusionists tend to be of good and neutral alignments, since wizards inclined toward evil usually opt for a specialization they perceive as being more powerful.

Because of their forceful personalities and sharp minds, illusionists make good leaders of an adventuring party, but they also make equally good lieutenants and strategists. Because low-level and medium-level illusionists usually lack defensive spells, a party must provide bodyguards or other protection to keep them healthy; such illusionists are best kept in the center of the party when traveling.

Illusionists enjoy the hustle and bustle of urban life, and usually maintain well-furnished homes in the heart of a city. They usually have a host of friends and acquaintances, and are loyal and loving spouses. Illusionists earn a living as entertainers, artists, mercenaries, teachers, and shopkeepers

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Invocation/Evocation (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Invocation/Evocation

Description: This school includes two types of spells, both of which use magical energy to create specific effects by bringing forth special forces that the caster shapes into constructs of energy or constructs of matter. Evocation spells use the natural magical forces of the planes. Invocation spells call on the intervention of powerful extradimensional beings.

Specialist Name: Invoker.

Allowed Races: Only humans are able to incorporate the complimentary energies necessary to master the spells of this school. Therefore, only humans are eligible to become invokers.

Ability Requirements: Because of the powerful energies involved, a lifetime of casting invocation/evocation spells is extremely stressful to a wizard's health. A minimum Constitution of 16 is necessary to specialize as an invoker.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against an invocation/evocation spell cast by an invoker. An invoker adds a +1 bonus when saving against invocation/evocation spells.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: An invoker can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of invocation/evocation. When an invoker reaches 17th level, he gains an additional +1 bonus when saving against invocation/evocation spells or against magical devices duplicating the effects of these spells. With his natural saving throw modifier, this effectively raises his bonus to +2.  When an invoker reaches 20th level, he gains another +1 bonus when saving against invocation/evocation spells, effectively raising his bonus to +3.

Oppositional Schools: The invoker is denied access to spells from the schools of enchantment/charm and conjuration/summoning.

Spell Analysis: This school offers the specialist a range of spells of staggering power. In fact, no school has a wider variety of offensive spells available at all levels.

The high-level offensive evocation spells are nothing short of devastating; a single meteor swarm for instance, can inflict up to 160 hit points of damage. Accordingly, an invoker can be thought of as the wizardly equivalent of the mightiest fighter; when armed with a repertoire of invocation/evocation spells, the invoker is easily among the game's most powerful characters.

The invoker also has access to a number of potent defensive spells. Some of these provide protection against specific types of attacks, such as shield and fire shield, while others offer protection by hindering the actions of all enemies within the range of the spell, such as wall of fog and shout. Generally, the spells hindering enemy actions will prove to be more useful than spells protecting against a specific type of attack, unless the invoker suspects that he will be encountering specific types of monsters. For instance, if fire lizards roam the land, it's prudent to memorize fire shield.

A wise invoker realizes that the strongest spells are not necessarily the best ones. For instance, assume that a 10th-level invoker and his party are about to venture into an unknown area where large numbers of hostile creatures are rumored to live. Though the creatures are numerous, they're also rumored to be low-level, perhaps no more than 3 HD each. The invoker has both lightning bolt and Melf's minute meteors in his spell book -- which of the two will be the most helpful? The damage caused by a single lightning bolt exceeds that of minute meteors, but the lightning bolt can be used only once, while minute meteors enables the invoker to make up to ten attacks.  A typical 3 HD monster has about 12 hit points. Undoubtedly, the lightning bolt will wipe out a 3 HD monster, but much of the lightning bolt's power is likely to wasted. With luck, the minute meteors will disable numerous 3 HD monsters.

It is wise to memorize powerful single-shot offensive spells (such as lightning bolt and fireball ) when the party expects to encounter high-level monsters, and to memorize multiple-shot spells (such as chain lightning and Melf's minute meteors ) capable of disabling a number of opponents when low-level monsters are expected.

Though the invoker wields great power, it's important to remember that his Armor Class is no better than that of any other specialist. An invoker armed with lightning bolt, fireball, and a range of other formidable offensive spells is still vulnerable to attacks. A party who repeatedly sends their invoker on dangerous assignments alone or an invoker who consistently volunteers for such assignments is tempting fate; a single trap or successfully executed ambush can easily mean the end of his life.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: Magic missile is the most potent 1st-level offensive spell. Fireball, lightning bolt, and Melf's minute meteors are killers, perhaps the best low-level offensive spells of any school. Wall of fog and web are the best low-level offensive spells.

Medium-Level: There are three medium-level spells whose multiple forms make them particularly attractive; interestingly, they all are all cold-based spells. These include ice storms (two forms), wall of ice (three forms), and Otiluke's freezing sphere (three forms). Dream is a similarly attractive spell, since the invoker also gains access to its reverse, nightmare. Shout, wall of iron, and Tenser's transformation are all effective as both offensive and defensive spells. Cloudkill and chain lightning are excellent additions to any invoker's arsenal.

High-Level: Limited wish is limited only by the imagination of the caster and the parameters set by the DM (see the discussion of wish spells in Chapter 7 for more information). Binding, with its six different forms, is a terrific defensive spell. All but the mightiest of opponents will yield to an invoker armed with one or more of the following: Bigby's clenched fist, incendiary cloud, Bigby's crushing hand, energy drain, and meteor swarm.

Ethos: The school of evocation/invocation attracts the most serious-minded, intense, and determined wizards. Most are single-mindedly devoted to the mastery of their craft. Invokers of good alignment devote themselves to using their skills to promote goodness and eliminate evil, willing to sacrifice their lives if necessary. For evil-aligned invokers, the magic of invocation is the key to their ascendancy; to them, good is weakness and evil is strength. Because specialists of this school are men and women of extreme philosophies, invokers of neutral alignment are rare.

Invokers are natural leaders: fearless, inspiring, and authoritative. Their courage on the battlefield is without peer, and they perform as aggressors alongside the most able fighters. Since they are introspective, soft-spoken, and emotionally distant, invokers seldom establish strong personal relationships.

Invokers will live anywhere they can maintain their privacy. Common people willingly leave them alone, fearing their power and even regarding them as dangerous, and invokers do little to dispel this reputation. They shun material possessions, needing only enough funds to finance their research. They primarily earn money as teachers, though they will occasionally sign on as members of adventuring parties in order to find treasure

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Necromancy (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Necromancy

Description: This powerful school involves spells dealing with death and the dead. These spells drain vitality from living creatures and restore life functions to unliving creatures. Bones, blood, spirits, and apparitions are all associated with the magical energies shaped and controlled by the specialists of this school.

Specialist Name: Necromancer.

Allowed Races: As in the school of invocation/evocation, only the spirits of humans incorporate the energies necessary to master the spells of necromancy. Therefore, only humans are eligible to become necromancers.

Ability Requirements: Since only the most enlightened, strong-willed, and intuitive wizards can become specialists of this school, necromancers must have a minimum Wisdom of 16.

Saving Throw Modifiers: All opponents modify their saving throws by -1 when attempting to save against a necromancy spell cast by a necromancer, or against an attack from an undead creature either created or controlled by a necromancer. A necromancer adds a +1 bonus when saving against necromancy spells, or against any attacks made by undead creatures.

Bonus Spells and Acquired Powers: A necromancer can memorize an extra spell at each spell level, providing that at least one of the memorized spells is from the school of necromancy. When a necromancer reaches 17th level, he adds another +1 bonus when saving against necromancy spells or against any attacks made by undead creatures. With his natural +1 bonus, this effectively raises his saving throw bonus to +2.

When a necromancer reaches 20th level, he gains the ability to cast a special form of speak with dead once per day. To cast the spell, the necromancer must merely point to the subject and concentrate for one round; no verbal or material components are necessary. The spell enables the necromancer to ask questions of a single dead creature and receive answers according to the knowledge of that creature. The creature can not have died more than 100 years ago, and the caster must be able to converse in a language that the dead creature formerly used. The necromancer can converse with the dead creature for one full turn and can ask up to four questions.

Regardless of the creature's level or alignment, it receives no saving throw against this spell. However, the creature will be as evasive as possible, tending to give brief and sometimes cryptic answers.

Additionally, the creature's knowledge is usually confined to what it knew in life (it cannot convey information about what may have happened to it after its death).

Oppositional Schools: The necromancer cannot learn spells from the schools of illusion and enchantment/charm.

Spell Analysis: Though the school of necromancy has a relatively small number of spells, they are among the most potent available to any of the specialists. In terms of sheer power, the necromantic spells compare to those from the school of invocation/evocation.

Necromantic spells can be sorted into three general groups. One group includes spells that imbue the caster or a person of the caster's choice with special abilities similar to the effects of certain enchantment and alteration spells. Chill touch, enervation, death spell, and finger of death are examples of this type of spell. The majority of this group are extremely powerful offensive spells; death spell and finger of death in particular are effective against a wide range of opponents. A necromancer armed with a repertoire of these spells bolsters his party's offensive capabilities considerably. Reincarnation can be considered part of this group, since it imbues the subject with a special ability; namely, a second chance at life.

A second group of necromancy spells includes those that create creatures or physical forces to fight on the caster's behalf.  Spectral hand and animate dead are examples.  Summon shadow is also included in this group, although in this case, an actual creature is summoned rather than created. Since these spells enhance the caster's ability to inflict damage on opponents, they can be considered offensive spells.

A third group of necromancy spells enables the caster to affect the actions of other creatures, usually undead. Hold undead, contagion, and control undead are examples. Since these spells inhibit the attack capabilities of the affected creatures, they can be considered defensive spells, although in the case of control undead, the affected creatures can also be used to attack enemies.

The majority of the necromancer's spells probably won't come from just one of these groups. More likely, he will acquire a number of spells from each of these groups over the course of his career. Though all of the necromancy spells are extremely powerful, in most cases, the offensive spells are his best choices, since their power has no parallel in spells from other schools (for instance, it would probably take a 9th-level wish to duplicate the effects of a 6th-level death spell ).

The necromancer doesn't exhibit much magical strength until he reaches the higher levels. A low-level necromancer of 6th level or lower might contribute little to a party's defensive or offensive capabilities. A low-level necromancer requires extra protection from his companions; he must also adopt a realistic attitude about his effectiveness in combat and avoid taking unnecessary risks. However, once the necromancer gains access to the middle-level and higher-level spells (at 6th-level and above), his capabilities increase at a rapid rate. He needs only to live long enough to get there.

Most Desirable Spells:

Low-Level: The low-level spells are somewhat weak, although chill touch, spectral hand, and vampiric touch are all good offensive spells. Hold undead and detect undead will be invaluable if the wizard or his party will be venturing into catacombs, burial grounds, or other places where such creatures are likely to be encountered.

Medium-Level: All of the spells in this group are exceptionally strong. Magic jar and reincarnation are unique in their utilities, their powers comparable only to that of a wish. Death spell, enervation, summon shadow, animate dead, and contagion all have a variety of uses on the battlefield.

High-Level: There are only a few high-level necromancy spells, but all of them are extremely potent. Control undead, finger of death, and energy drain can make the mightiest opponents tremble. Wizards planning to employ clone should carefully consider the time it takes to use; though the casting time is only a single turn, it can take up to eight months for the clone to grow.

Ethos: The necromancer exhibits a fascination with life and death that borders on the obsessive. He is typically brooding, humorless, and withdrawn. Casual acquaintances consider him to be cold and hostile, but those who befriend the necromancer may come to know him as a caring, complex individual whose emotions run deep. The necromancer can be a valued and trustworthy companion, but he is also prone to bouts of depression so extreme that it becomes difficult for him to interact with others to any meaningful degree.

Continual exposure to forces associated with undead creatures can have a corrupting effect on wizards with even the slightest inclinations toward evil. Consequently, the number of evil-aligned necromancers is rumored to far outweigh the number of those of good alignment. Neutral necromancers are virtually non-existent; in general, a necromancer either has a will strong enough to resist the lure of darkness, or he submits to the corruption and devotes himself to a life of evil.

Befriending a necromancer will try the patience of even the most understanding character. Since necromancers prefer solitude to companionship, and silence to conversation, it is little wonder that few of them have spouses; the best mate for a necromancer is another necromancer.

In spite of their reticence, most good- aligned necromancers are unshakable in their determination to confront and extinguish evil and will join like-minded individuals to undertake these types of missions. Understandably, necromancers make poor leaders, but they are valuable additions to adventuring parties. Not only do necromancers wield unmatched power, their familiarity with the world's dark forces makes them virtually fearless. On the other hand, much to a leader's chagrin, a necromancer does not always follow orders automatically; a necromancer who disagrees with his party's strategy may simply strike out on his own.

Necromancers live as far from civilized regions as they can, establishing residences in ancient castles, deep caverns, or even abandoned crypts. They spend most of their time engaged in arcane research, reading, studying, and writing.

Necromancers seldom have careers, though they occasionally earn money as teachers and mercenaries. High-level necromancers simply order undead creatures to fetch them treasure when funds are low

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Abandoning a School (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Abandoning a School

With the DM's permission, it is possible for a wizard to abandon a specialty, but the restrictions and penalties for doing so are severe

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Mages (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Mages

Mages cannot abandon their careers to become specialists. Once a wizard decides to become a mage, he must remain so for the duration of his career

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Specialists (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Specialists

Any specialist can abandon his school, but only to become a mage. A specialist cannot become a specialist from a different school. A specialist's decision to abandon his school to become a mage is permanent -- under no circumstances can he again become a specialist of his original school. A specialist keeps all of the spell bonuses that he had prior to his conversion, but receives no more bonus spells after he abandons his school to become a mage. He loses all saving throw bonuses at the time of his conversion (for instance, he no longer receives a +1 bonus when making saving throws against spells of his former specialty that are cast by other wizards).

Once he abandons his school, a former specialist's chances of learning new spells are affected as follows:

•	When attempting to learn a spell of his former specialty, he no longer receives a bonus (e.g., an illusionist who abandons his school no longer receives a +15 percent bonus when attempting to learn illusion spells).

•	When attempting to learn spells from other schools, he still suffers a penalty (e.g., an illusionist who abandons his school still has a -15 percent penalty when attempting to learn spells from the schools of alteration, greater divination, enchantment/charm, and conjuration/summoning).

•	When attempting to learn spells from schools in opposition to his former specialty, his chance is computed according to the following formula:

Percent chance = 1/2 (base chance to learn a spell -15 percent)

For instance, a former necromancer with an Intelligence of 13 wants to learn an illusion spell. Since necromancy is one of the schools that was in opposition to his former school, his chance to learn the spell is 1/2 (55-15), which equals 20 percent.

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A Word About Minor Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
A Word About Minor Schools

Lesser Divination

The divination spells of 4th-level and below are collectively known as the school of lesser divination. Lesser divination is considered to be a minor school of magic; that is, wizards can't become specialists in lesser divination.

The term "minor" is used informally in this context. It means that specialists from any school are allowed to learn and use these spells. Many of the lesser divination spells, such as detect magic and read magic are basic to the practice of magic. Others, such as identify, ESP, and know alignment are vital to the basic repertoire of any specialist. Without access to the spells of lesser divination, a wizard's ability to function would be frustratingly limited, particularly at the lower levels.

At first glance, the existence of the school of lesser divination would seem to reduce the role of the diviner; after all, no other school allows all specialists such easy access to their low-level spells. However, an examination of the requirements for all schools shows that only the conjurer has greater divination as an opposition school; every other specialist has access to the low-level divination spells. In practice, the existence of the minor school of lesser divination serves only to give the conjurer access to the low-level divination spells.

Although all specialists can learn lesser divination spells, they cannot learn them any more easily or effectively than they can learn spells from schools other than their own. All non-diviners learn lesser divination spells at a penalty of -15 percent on the Intelligence Table (Table 4, page 16 PHB); for instance, either a conjurer or an illusionist with an Intelligence of 15 has a 50 percent chance of learning any given lesser divination spell.

All lesser divination spells are also considered to be part of the school of greater divination. Therefore, a diviner has a 15 percent bonus on the Intelligence Table to learn lesser divination spells; for instance, a diviner with an Intelligence of 15 has an 80 percent chance of learning any lesser divination spell.

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New Minor Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
New Minor Schools

Do other minor schools of magic exist? That's a decision for the DM. Depending on the DM's style and the parameters of his campaign, he could select a small group of spells and assign them to a minor school. For instance, a minor school of lesser illusions could include all illusions of 1st-level through 3rd-level. A minor school of lesser abjuration/necromancy could include all abjuration and necromancy spells of 1st level.

To add color to the campaign rule, the DM might want to create a historical explanation for the existence of any new minor schools. It's possible, for instance, that the minor school of lesser illusions was created by the administration of an academy of magic to accommodate students who lacked the aptitude to become full-fledged illusionists. The minor school of abjuration/necromancy might have been developed by an ancient clan of good-aligned wizards to help protect them from attacks by a rival band of abjurers allied with a force of undead.

All wizards, regardless of their specialty, should have access to the spells of any minor school. If he wishes, the DM may assign bonuses and penalties to the various specialists' chances of learning the spells of a related minor school. Some possibilities follow.

•	A specialist has a 15 percent (or 30 percent) bonus, a non-specialist has a 15 percent (or 30 percent) penalty.

•	A specialist has a 30 percent bonus, a non-specialist has a 30 percent penalty.

•	Both the specialist and the non-specialist have 15 percent (or 30 percent) bonuses.

Careful judgement should always be exercised when adding new minor schools. Remember that the more access characters have to magic, the more powerful they become. And the more powerful the characters are, the harder it is for the DM to maintain play balance. In general, the following two guidelines should apply:

•	A minor school should include only a handful of low-level spells, none of them higher than 4th-level. Four or five 1st-level spells, two or three 2nd-level spells, one or two 3rd-level spells, and one or two 4th-level spells are sufficient.

•	A campaign should include no more than two minor schools. (Note than in almost every campaign, one of the two minor schools will be lesser divination.)

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Chapter 2: Creating New Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 2: Creating New Schools

The Player's Handbook lists eight different greater schools of magic, but more are possible. Additional schools can expand a player's options, add color to the campaign, and allow the DM to put his own mark on the game.  Designing new magic schools is one of the DM's toughest jobs, but it can also be one of the most rewarding.

This chapter presents a step-by-step procedure for creating schools of magic from scratch. We'll demonstrate the process by creating a brand new school right before your eyes the school of metamorphics.

At the end of this book is a blank planning sheet. This may be copied to help you design your own new schools

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The Basics of Creating Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Basics of Creating Schools

Before creating a school, following are a few general guidelines to keep in mind.

New schools should be unique. A new magic school should not overlap any of the existing schools. Since the eight major schools cover a lot of ground and there are already hundreds of spells in the AD&D® game, this is not as easy as it sounds. Not only should the DM avoid new magic schools whose spells duplicate the effects of existing spells, he should also avoid trespassing on the priest's territory. For instance, a school of magic focusing on healing spells isn't a good idea, since it conflicts with one of the priest's special areas.

A new school shouldn't be too powerful. The existence of a school whose spells can destroy dragons, level cities, and render the caster invulnerable makes it extremely difficult for the DM to maintain play balance. It's next to impossible for the DM to invent suitable challenges for wizards wielding that much power, ultimately making the game boring for all. The school of necromancy is about as powerful as any school should be.

A new school shouldn't be too weak. On the other hand, players won't be interested in a school that doesn't offer them a measure of power comparable to what's available in the existing schools. The school of greater divination is about as weak as any school should be.

A new school must be described precisely. Magical effects are difficult enough to adjudicate when their definitions are detailed and specific. When they're indefinite and ambiguous, it's nearly impossible to make consistent rulings and avoid frustrating players

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Type of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Type of Magic

The first step in designing a new school is to decide what type of magical energy will be wielded by the specialist and how that energy will manifest itself. The type of magic must be general enough to encompass a variety of spells and effects, but it also must be specific enough to differentiate it from existing schools.

Before examining the specifics, consider the differences between the magic of wizards and the magic of priests. Though some duplication exists-- both have access to necromantic and summoning spells, for instance-- the way they acquire spells is strikingly different

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Priests vs. Wizards (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Priests vs. Wizards

Priests are granted the use of spells by deities of specific mythoi. Each deity has authority over particular groups of concepts, forces, and things, and these groups are called spheres. A priest's allegiance to his deity gives him access to certain spheres of magic that reflect the deity's special interests. Consequently, the magic of each sphere tends to be quite specific; spells from the sun sphere, for instance, deal primarily with light and darkness, while spells from the healing sphere deal primarily with curing.

Unlike the priest, a wizard isn't bound to a particular deity, and therefore does not depend on a deity for his magical abilities. A wizard learns and masters his spells in much the same way that a professor learns and masters a particular science. This is why the wizard class is a function of Intelligence. Wizardly schools focus on general categories of magical energy and effects and encompass a wide variety of spells.

To preserve the integrity of these differences between wizard magic and priest magic, any new wizard school should avoid focusing on magical effects stemming from one particular condition or thing. Instead, the school should be concerned with the manipulation of general energies and forces

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Categories of Effects (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Categories of Effects

Confused? Consider the following.

Just as electrical energy or mechanical energy can be harnessed to accomplish specific tasks, it is also possible to channel magical energy to accomplish specific results. But while electrical and mechanical energies are limited by physics and other natural sciences, magical energy knows no such mundane boundaries. Magical energies can be channeled to produce any of the following list of effects.

Transformation: When this type of effect is produced, an object or condition is changed to give it different physical properties or new special abilities.

Creation: When this type of effect is produced, an object or condition is created that did not previously exist.

Requisitioning: When this type of effect is produced, an existing object or condition is summoned from a different location.

Paranaturalism: This type of effect involves the manipulation of forces and phenomena that exist beyond the confines of the material world and the laws governing it. (This can also be considered a catch-all category that includes effects not covered in other categories.)

All of the existing schools of magic can be assigned to these categories.

The schools of alteration, enchantment/charm, and abjuration all involve Transformation.

The schools of illusion and invocation/evocation involve Creation.

Conjuration/summoning involves Requisitioning.

Divination and necromancy involve Paranaturalism.

Although some overlapping occurs (for instance, magical energies that Requisition existing objects may Transform them as well), all magic schools channel magical energies to produce the effects defined in these four categories.

What differentiates one school from another is the type of effects produced. For example, both illusion and invocation/evocation channel magical energy for Creation. However, illusions create unreal objects and conditions; invocations create objects and conditions that cause direct physical effects

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Defining the Effects of a New School (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Defining the Effects of a New School

To begin the design of a new school, the DM must first define the type of effects it produces. Any definition is likely to be vague. But at this stage, it should be. Unlike the intentionally specific priestly sphere, a wizardly school must be general enough to accommodate a large variety of spells.

Use the steps that follow.

1. Choose one type of channelled magical energy from the four categories described above: Transformation, Creation, Requisitioning, or Paranaturalism. If you know what type of school you plan to design, the choice of category probably will be obvious. If you do not yet have any ideas about your school, pick any of the categories-- it's a good place to start. (If your choice of categories seems less appropriate as your school develops, you can always pick another.)

2. Define what specific type of effects these channelled energies will produce. If it is a Transformation school, what types of things or conditions will be transformed? If it is a Paranaturalism school, what type of paranatural energies or forces will be involved.

3. Ensure that the definition of the new school does not resemble the definitions of existing schools too closely. Compare them with the school descriptions in Chapter 1.

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How It All Works (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
How It All Works

To illustrate this procedure, a new school is created here. First, one of the categories of channelled energy is chosen. The school will involve changing one type of item into another, so the choice is the Transformation category.

 Next, we define the type of Transformation effects the school will produce. This definition needs to be as clear as possible; writing down the definition in a sentence or two will put it on the right track. Our school will feature spells that cause an object or condition to change into a different but related object or condition. That description is vague, but good enough to get started.

Is this school sufficiently different from existing schools? Our school sounds very similar to the school of alteration, so it needs some adjustments. Since many of the alteration spells imbue a creature with special abilities, such as water breathing and fly, we can decide that the spells from our school will deal with physical transformations only. Further, all of our physical transformations will be permanent (subject to the usual limitations, such as cancellation by dispel magic).

Throughout the remainder of this chapter, we'll continue to develop this school as a demonstration

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Name of the School (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Name of the School

Once you have an idea for a school, it needs a name. If an obvious name doesn't suggest itself, as it did for the school of illusion, check a thesaurus for synonymous words or evocative phrases. Fantasy literature is another good source for names.

Since our new school deals with change, we checked the thesaurus for synonyms and found metamorphosis, a word that is descriptive, has a nice scholarly ring to it, and even sounds a little mystical. We'll christen it the school of metamorphics.

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Name of the Specialist (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Name of the Specialist

Specialists usually derive their names from the names of their schools by changing the suffix. Thus, from abjuration comes the abjurer, and from illusion comes the illusionist. Most of the time, this technique is satisfactory.

However, some schools simply do not lend themselves to wizardly-sounding names. For instance, the word alterer is clumsy, so the school of alteration has opted for the less awkward transmuter for the name of their specialist. We have a similar problem with our school of metamorphics-- both metamorphist and metamorpher are clumsy. Returning to the thesaurus, we find the word transfigure. We can call our specialist a transfigurist.

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Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spells

The most important part of creating a new school is designing new spells that are different enough to set it apart from existing schools. There must be enough new spells to provide the user a reasonable variety of options. At the same time, duplication of existing spells should be avoided. Minor variations of existing spells should also be avoided. The spell selection should be attractive enough so that novice wizards will consider specializing in it, but not so powerful that the school overwhelms all others

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Basic Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Basic Spells

A new school does not need an extensive number of spells immediately. Beginning with a core of basic spells is best, adding new spells as required by the campaign and the players.

An acceptable core of basic spells includes the number of spells for each level given in Table 1. Note that this is approximately the number of spells for the schools of greater divination and necromancy given in the Player's Handbook. If the DM is unable to invent this number of spells, he should concentrate on designing spells to fill the lower levels (levels 1-3) so his lower-level specialists can begin their careers

Table 1: Minimum Spells for A New School

Level	No. of Spells
1st	3
2nd	3
3rd	2
4th	2
5th	2
6th	2
7th	1
8th	1
9th	1
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Adapting Existing Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Adapting Existing Spells

Before attempting to design new spells, first look at the existing spells for other schools. Notice that a number of spells listed in the Player's Handbook belong to more than one school; rainbow pattern, for instance, belongs to the schools of alteration and illusion, while limited wish belongs to conjuration/summoning and invocation/evocation. Do any of the PH spells (or any of the new spells listed in Chapter 8 of this book) seem appropriate for your new school? The alteration spells transmute rock to mud and transmute water to dust are perfect for our school of metamorphics-- they both cause one substance to change to another, they both cause physical changes, and in both cases the effects are permanent.

There are other likely candidates from the PH spells for our school, but using an excessive number of duplicate spells (more than two or three) compromises the individuality of a new school.

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Ideas for New Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Ideas for New Spells

The DM and players will need to brainstorm for ideas that will eventually be developed to fill in the basic spell list. Although the DM makes the final decisions when designing spells for a new school, the contributions and ideas of the players are important. Fantasy literature is another good source of ideas, as are the abilities of magical monsters and functions of magical devices. The DM and his players might also discuss encounters or battles from previous adventures and decide what types of spells would have been useful for the wizards.

The DM (with the assistance of the players) should then assign a spell name to each idea and decide the general effects of the potential spells. The names of the spells should be brief and descriptive. The effects can be approximate at this point-- they'll be refined later. We do not have the space here to develop a full range of spells for our metamorphics school, but here are three potential spells we'll use as examples:

Evaporate: This spell changes liquids into gases.

Blood to dust: This spell changes an opponent's blood to dust, instantly killing him.

Improved armor: This spell changes a companion's armor to a better Armor Class

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Checking for Duplication (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Checking for Duplication

Each potential spell should be checked against the spells in the Player's Handbook to see if it already exists. Considering that the PH lists hundreds of spells, re-inventing an existing spell is easy. A DM need not be obsessive about this; a large number of existing spells inflict damage or add bonuses and penalties to saving throws. As long as the new spell has a unique twist of its own, it can be deemed acceptable.

Of our examples, we notice that blood to dust is superficially similar to the 7th-level finger of death spell, since they both instantly take a victim's life. But the methods of achieving this effect are distinctly different; blood to dust changes the victim's blood to an inert substance, while finger of death snuffs out the victim's life force. Further, blood to dust is only effective on victims with blood in their veins. Blood to dust is different enough to stand on its own.

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Checking for Play Balance (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Checking for Play Balance

After checking them against existing spells, all potential spells of a new school must be considered for play balance. Imagine that the wizard employs a particular spell every day-- will constant use have any significant long-term effects on the balance of the game?

Consider our potential metamorphic spells. Evaporate won't have any profound effects on the game, assuming it has reasonable limitations (for instance, evaporating an entire ocean should be prohibited). At best, blood to dust means one less opponent per day.

 But improved armor presents a problem. Since our metamorphic spells are permanent, wouldn't a transfigurist immediately improve all of his party's armor as much as he could? Is this fair? We can't make the effects temporary, or we're violating the definition of our school. Let's throw out improved armor and invent another spell later.

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Determining Effects and Levels (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Determining Effects and Levels

Once the inappropriate spells have been discarded, we need to define and describe the specific effects of the remaining spells, then assign them to levels. The description of a spell should cover its typical uses, but it is unnecessary-- and realistically, impossible-- to deal with every possible application. More importantly, the description should cover the spell's limitations in detail; not only do precise limitations make spells easier to adjudicate, they are easier to assign to levels.

Here are some points to consider when assigning limitations to spells:

How many subjects can be affected by the spell? Generally, the more subjects affected, the higher the level of the spell (compare invisibility to mass invisibility, and charm person to mass charm ).

What type of subjects can be affected by the spell? Subjects can be low-level or high-level (or low HD and high HD). They can also have specific characteristics (such as the subjects of detect invisibility), or they can be general types with no specific characteristics (such as the subjects of charm monster ). Usually, higher-level spells are able to affect high-level (or high HD) subjects that have no specific characteristics-- finger of death is a good example.

Are victims allowed a saving throw to avoid the effects of the spell? Disallowing a saving throw for a spell that would normally have one usually boosts it to a higher level. For instance, the 5th-level cone of cold allows a saving throw to reduce a victim's damage by half. If such a throw were not allowed, the spell would be significantly more dangerous and would belong in a higher level.

If the spell causes damage, what is the maximum?  It would be grossly inappropriate for any 1st-level spell to inflict 100 hit points of damage. Similarly, a 9th-level spell should be capable of inflicting a significant amount of damage. Table 2 suggests the maximum amount of damage a spell of a particular level should be allowed to inflict on a single enemy. These figures are general guidelines only, and can be altered by any number of variables. For instance, if a hypothetical 3rd-level flying sword spell has only a 10 percent chance of hitting its target, its maximum amount of damage could be justifiably higher than 3-18 hit points.

Remember that the inflicted damage of certain spells may vary according to the caster's level; for instance, fireball causes 1d6 hit points of damage per level of the caster. (Table 2 gives the damage for a spell cast at its base level; if our hypothetical flying sword spell is 3rd-level, but can be cast at higher levels to inflict more damage, Table 2 indicates the maximum amount of damage it can cause when cast at its lowest level. )

Table 2: Suggested Maximum Damage of Spells by Level

Level	Maximum Damage of Spell (in hp)
1st	2-5 (1d4 +1)
2nd	2-8 (2d4)
3rd	3-18 (3d6)
4th	8-20 (4d4 +4)
5th	10-25 (5d4 +5)
6th	6-36 (6d6)
7th	10-60 (10d6) *
8th-9th	10-80 (10d8) *

* Spells of 7th-level through 9th- level are differentiated by the number of subjects destroyed and special restrictions on death. For instance, a 7th-level spell might destroy only a single subject, while a 9th-level spell could destroy several. A 7th-level spell might allow a saving throw, while a 9th-level spell might not. A 7th-level spell might allow resurrection attempts, a 9th-level spell might not.

If the spell causes damage, do victims get a saving throw? Of the spells in the Player's Handbook, many of them allow the victim to make a saving throw in order to reduce or eliminate the potential damage. Though it is unnecessary to allow saving throws in every case, this is a good way to add balance to what otherwise might be an especially dangerous spell. There are three options to consider.

1. No saving throw. This option maximizes a spell's lethality.

2. Half damage. This option means that the character suffers half-damage if his saving throw is successful. This is less lethal than a spell with no saving throw, but more lethal than the following option.

3. Negate. This option means that the character suffers no damage if his saving throw is successful. This is the least lethal option of all.

Note that saving throws need not always be saving throws vs. spells; consider different types of saving throws for spells of higher levels (in every case, however, only one type of saving throw should be allowed). A saving throw vs. spells is always an option, no matter what the level of spell, but here are some alternatives:

•	For spells of 3rd-level and 4th-level, use save vs. rods.

•	For spells of 5th-level and 6th-level, use save vs. paralyzation.

•	For spells of 7th-level, 8th-level, and 9th-level, use save vs. death.

If the spell is defensive, does it inhibit the enemy's ability to attack, or does it offer direct protection from damage? Generally, spells that defend against a specific type of damage (such as protection from normal missiles) are less powerful than spells that protect against a general category of damage (such as minor globe of invulnerability), and spells that protect the caster or subjects of the caster's choice (such as protection from evil) are less powerful than spells that inhibit the enemy's ability to attack (such as wall of fog). The highest-level defensive spells tend to be those that get rid of the attacker (such as dismissal and imprisonment.)

If a DM has designed a defensive spell that he wants to modify so he can assign it to a higher level, he can do one or more of the following:

•	Increase the types of damage against which it protects. (To assign the spell to a lower level, decrease the types of damage.)

•	Increase the number of subjects the spell protects, usually by increasing the area of effect. (For a lower level, decrease the area of effect, or have the spell provide protection for only the caster. )

•	Increase the number of opponents whose attack abilities are reduced. Again, this is usually accomplished by increasing the area of effect. (For a lower level, decrease the area of effect. )

•	Increase the power of the spell so it eliminates the attacker altogether.

Does the spell increase or decrease a subject's saving throw modifier? Penalties and bonuses to the subject's saving throw alter the effectiveness of a spell. Consider again our hypothetical 3rd-level flying sword spell. Assume that it inflicts 1-10 hit points of damage on subjects when used at night, and that a saving throw negates the damage. If the subject is allowed a +2 bonus, it might be more appropriate to assign flying sword to 2nd-level. Conversely, if no saving throw is allowed at all, the spell might belong at 4th-level.

Is the effect of the spell permanent? Spells whose effects are temporary are less powerful than those whose effects are permanent. (Remember that few spells are literally permanent, since dispel magic negates their effects in most cases. A limited wish or wish can negate almost any spell. )

What are the spell's duration, range, and area of effect?  Longer durations, ranges, and areas of effect translate into more powerful spells.  Adjusting these elements is a good way to modify a spell to assign it to a higher or lower level.  For instance, if flying sword persists for only one round/level and has a range of 30 yards, it belongs in a lower level than if it persisted for one turn/level and had a range of 100 yards.

There are no minimum or maximum requirements for durations, ranges, or areas of effect, as long as the DM stays within the bounds of reason.  For instance, a range of 1 mile/level sounds ridiculously high for any 1st-level spell.  A good place to start for establishing durations, ranges, and areas of effect is 1 round/level (duration), 10 yards/level (range), and a 10-foot cube or one creature/level (area of effect).  Remember that these are general guidelines only, and are not appropriate for every type of spell. Many spells have an effective range of 0, meaning they affect only the caster. Others affect only a touched subject. Those spells whose effects are permanent until negated have no set duration. For some spells, such as extension, area of effect is irrelevant.

When the DM has finished defining the effects of a new spell and has assigned it to a level, the spell should be compared to the existing spells of that level. If the new spell is clearly weaker or excessively more powerful than spells from the same level, the DM should either assign it to a different level or make adjustments as suggested above to make it comparable. In general, the illusion and divination spells are the least powerful, and the necromancy and invocation spells are the most powerful; a new spell should be checked against these first.

Let's return to our two new spells for the school of metamorphics. Evaporation causes a quantity of water or other inorganic liquid to instantly turn to vapor, just as if the sun had evaporated it. It will not inflict any direct damage (evaporating the blood or other organic liquids of a creature is forbidden). Evaporation is difficult to perceive as providing meaningful defense for a party. Evaporation is destined to be a low-level spell, probably 1st-level.

Range? Most 1st-level spells have a range of 30-60 yards; since evaporation is relatively weak, we will give it a higher range of 60 yards.

Area of effect? Most 1st-level spells affect an area of 10-30 yards (or 10-30 foot-radius, or 10-30 foot cube). In this case, we will give evaporation an area of effect of a 20-foot cube + 10-foot cube/level. (This makes the spell more powerful as the wizard increases in level.)

Checking our 1st-level evaporation spell against the existing 1st-level spells in the PH shows no major discrepancies. The definition of evaporation still needs more tightening. We need to determine whether it affects liquids concealed in containers, rain, quicksand, and lava, and other limitations it has.

Looking at blood to dust, it belongs in a higher level because it causes death. We will decide that blood to dust causes all of the blood of a single victim to turn to dust, instantly killing it. It is certainly not as powerful as a 9th-level spell (the 9th-level power word, kill can destroy several creatures at once); let's place it at 7th level and give it a range of 60 yards (comparable to other 7th-level spells). Checking the existing 7th-level spells, we discover finger of death, a spell not unlike blood to dust.  Finger of death is more powerful, since it can destroy any creature, even those without blood, but it also allows a saving throw. To balance blood to dust against other 7th-level spells, let's say that victims of blood to dust are not allowed saving throws. Further, undead, monsters from other planes, and monsters with more than 4 HD will be immune to blood to dust. With further adjustments (Can the affected subject be resurrected or raised? Can the corpse be animated to become a zombie?), we'll have a powerful but balanced 7th-level spell for the school of metamorphics

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Casting Times (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Casting Times

All spells must state their casting times. A guideline is to make the casting time equal to the level of the spell (a 7th-level spell has a casting time of 7), but casting times of one or more rounds are also common. Complex spells might have casting times of one or more turns. Avoid short casting times for high-level spells and excessively long casting times for all but the most powerful spells.

We'll give our 1st-level evaporation spell a casting time of 1 and our 7th-level blood to dust a casting time of 1 round

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Components (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Components

Every spell has one or more components. There are two ways to determine the components for a new spell:

1. Locate existing spells from the Player's Handbook that are similar to the new spell and assign similar components. For instance, finger of death is similar to our new blood to dust spell, so we'll decide that blood to dust has verbal and somatic components.

2. Assign the components randomly. If this sounds too arbitrary, consider that the components of a particular spell were likely determined by the wizard who originally researched it. A common assumption is that two wizards working independently could discover the same spell; it is unlikely that they used exactly the same components. For our evaporation spell, we'll use verbal, somatic, and material components, the most common combination.

Instead of choosing a specific set of components for a new spell, you can determine them randomly by rolling 1d20 on Table 3. If you get a result that contradicts the conditions under which the spell is cast, roll again

Table 3:

Random Determination of Spell Components

d20 Roll	Components
1-14	V, S, M
15-17	V, S
18-19	V, M
20	V

3. Consider the level of the spell and assign components accordingly. Requiring all three components makes a spell harder to cast. Reducing a spell's components to make it easier to cast might be a reason to create a higher level version of a low level spell.

4. Still can't decide? When in doubt, require all three components; most existing spells use all of them.

As for the precise nature of these components, be guided by common sense and imagination. Material components should relate to the effect of the spell. Check existing spells for component ideas and comparisons. We'll decide our evaporation spell's material component will be a drop of water

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Allowed Races (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Allowed Races

Not all races can become specialists of all schools. Usually, these limitations are due to a particular race's body chemistry, mental or emotional predisposition, magical resistance, or cultural restrictions. The history of the DM's campaign world might also suggest limitations.

If the DM imposes racial restrictions on a new school, he should present justification for them. For instance, gnomes are restricted from specializing in our school of metamorphics. The reason? A thousand years ago in our campaign world, a brotherhood of transfigurist gnomes accidently developed a metamorphics spell that permanently transformed a city of gnomes into a field weeds. The gods were so upset by this carelessness that the transfigurist specialty has been forbidden to gnomes ever since.

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Ability Requirements (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Ability Requirements

All characters must have an Intelligence score of at least 9 to become a wizard. A new school might require a higher Intelligence score for specialization, but only in the rarest circumstances should it be higher than 13.

All specializations require a minimum score in a secondary ability. This minimum score should be at least 12, but no higher than 16. Wisdom, Constitution, and Dexterity are the most common secondary ability requirements, but Charisma and Strength are also possible. Remember that setting the ability requirements high will keep the number of specialists low, and vice versa.

Because some of the somatic components for metamorphic spells require precise execution, we will set a minimum Dexterity score of 15 for specialists in the school of metamorphics

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Clothing (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Clothing

Though none of the schools described in Chapter 1 have any specific dress requirements, a new school might require (or strongly suggest) that its specialists wear distinctive garb to indicate their status.

Not all specialists of a school would necessarily adhere to this dress code. Perhaps only graduates of a particular academy would wear distinctive garb. Perhaps only 1st-level specialists would wear it. Perhaps it is worn only by high level specialists as a symbol of achievement. All such distinctions are the decision of the DM. Caution is advised--  obvious identifying garb can be a red flag to enemies who wish to wipe out the members of a particular school.

Dress requirements are not restricted to items of clothing. Rings, pendants, anklets, and bracelets are all possibilities. Likewise, certain colors might symbolize graduates of a school, while other colors might be forbidden.

For our metamorphics school, we will require that 1st-level transfigurists wear a red arm band to identify them as beginners. When a transfigurist reaches 10th level, he is allowed-- but not required-- to wear a red cloak to symbolize his competence.

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Experience Levels and Spell Progression (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Experience Levels and Spell Progression

All existing schools use the experience level progression and spell progression given on Tables 20 and 21 on page 30 of the Player's Handbook. New schools should use these, too. It is possible to devise new tables from scratch, but this creates considerable work for the DM, adding unnecessary complications and an increased chance of an unbalanced campaign. In any case, specialists should not be allowed to progress more quickly than the Player's Handbook tables allow

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Hit Points (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Hit Points

All existing schools use 4-sided dice to determine their specialists' hit points. The power wielded by a specialist, especially in the higher levels, more than compensates for his relatively low number of hit points. If the specialist is too weak, consider creating more spells, adjusting the current spells to make them stronger, or giving him access to spells from more schools

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Languages (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Languages

All specialists use Table 4 on page 16 of the Player's Handbook to determine the number of languages they can learn (in addition to their native tongue). Certain types of specialists may be able to exceed these limits. Eligible specialists might include those with exceptionally strong academic backgrounds or those who devote a large amount of their spare time studying new tongues.

The types of effects created by a particular wizard might also suggest an extraordinary aptitude for languages; for example, wizards specializing in Transformation magic might not seem to have any particular affinity for languages, but those specializing in Creation might (since they're involved in producing conditions that didn't previously exist, which could include communication skills).

If a new specialist is to have exceptional language skills, keep the following guidelines in mind.

•	A new specialist should not be able to acquire more than one language over the limits given in the Player's Handbook. For instance, a specialist with an Intelligence of 9 should not be able to learn more than three languages.

•	The DM should consider limiting extra languages to high-level specialists; level 15 or higher is suggested, but the DM has the final decision. (In other words, our specialist with an Intelligence of 9 cannot learn his third language until he reaches level 15.)

•	Learning the extra language should never be automatic. The DM should oblige the specialist to locate a suitable tutor, devote several hours a day to studying difficult texts, or invent some other requirement that emphasizes role-playing. For the transfigurist, nothing about his specialty suggests an exceptional aptitude for languages, so he'll be restricted to the language limits given in the Player's Handbook.

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Oppositional Schools (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Opposition Schools

Each school lies in opposition to one to three of the existing schools of magic. The specialist of the new school will be unable to learn spells from the schools that lie in opposition to his school.

The first step in determining oppositional schools is to decide which existing school most closely resembles the new school. In some cases, this is obvious; for instance, our new school of metamorphics is most like the school of alteration. For less obvious cases, you can eliminate most of the possibilities by recalling which type of magic your new school is derived from (see the Types of Magic section above). A new school will most closely resemble an existing school derived from the same type of magic (see Table 4); for instance, if your new school produces Creation effects, it most closely resembles either the school of illusion or invocation/evocation. Once the choices have been narrowed to two or three schools, it should be easy to pick the school most like your new school. If necessary, try comparing your new spells to the existing spells in the Player's Handbook .

When you've decided which existing school most closely resembles your new school, consult the opposition diagram (Diagram 1). The school that lies directly opposite this school is the oppositional school. The school of metamorphics most closely resembles the school of alteration. The school directly across from alteration on Diagram 1 is abjuration. Therefore, abjuration is the school that is in opposition to metamorphics.

One to three oppositional schools may be assigned to a new school. If the new school is relatively weak (the weak school of greater divination has only a single oppositional school), only one opposition school may be needed. If your new school is relatively powerful, it is appropriate to assign it as many as three oppositional schools.

Look again at Diagram 1. The schools on either side of the oppositional school are also options for oppositional schools. For instance, additional oppositional schools for illusion are invocation/evocation and abjuration.  If it's appropriate for your school to have three oppositional schools, choose these three.

Most likely, your new school will be neither extremely weak nor extremely powerful. In this case, consider giving it two oppositional schools. One should be the initial oppositional school, and the other can be either of the adjacent schools. To decide between the adjacent schools, choose randomly or choose the one that seems less compatible with your new school.

We must choose the oppositional schools for our new school of metamorphics. Since it is neither exceptionally weak or powerful, we will assign it two oppositional schools.

We decided previously that the school of metamorphics most closely resembles the school of alteration. According to Diagram 1, the oppositional school of alteration is abjuration; therefore, the oppositional school of metamorphics is also abjuration.

According to Diagram 1, the adjacent oppositional schools for abjuration-- and likewise, for metamorphics-- are conjuration/summoning and necromancy. We need to choose one of them for our other oppositional school. Either conjuration/summoning or necromancy would be appropriate, but since the school of alteration already has abjuration and necromancy for its oppositional schools, we will choose the other combination. Therefore, the opposition schools for metamorphics are abjuration and conjuration/summoning.

Admittedly, the choice of the second and third oppositional schools is somewhat arbitrary, but remember that we not only strive for balance, but also for schools with unique advantages and restrictions. The DM always has the option to invent a rationale for the existence of specific oppositional schools. For instance, the energies employed by conjuration/summoning and abjuration magic might induce agonizing headaches in a transfigurist, making it impossible for him to learn spells from those schools

Table 4: Magic Schools and Types of Effects

School	Type of Effect
Alteration	Transformation
Enchantment/Charm	Transformation
Abjuration	Transformation
Illusion	Creation
Invocation/Evocation	Creation
Conjuration/Summoning	Requisitioning
Divination	Paranaturalism
Necromany	Paranaturalism
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Ethos (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Ethos

The final step in designing a new school is creating a unique ethos. This step is optional, but it adds color to the school and makes it more interesting for the players.

An ethos also serves as a springboard for determining the personality of specialist characters. An ethos can be anything from a simple outline to a detailed profile. Following are some questions to consider when designing an ethos for a new school.

Do the specialists of the school adhere to any particular philosophy? Do they share any particular goals? Such philosophies and goals are often derived from the nature of the magic studied by the specialist. For instance, specialists from the school of metamorphics study spells dealing with change. Continual exposure to the transience of all things might lead transfigurists to be skeptical about the existence of absolutes--a transfigurist, then, might believe that concepts such as "right" and "wrong" are relative to specific situations.

Are evil-aligned characters more drawn to this school than good-aligned characters (or vice versa)? In most cases, wizards of all alignments can be specialists in any school, but a new school might discourage certain alignments and encourage others. Likewise, certain magical academies might accept students of specific alignments only.

If a school does not promote harm to any living creature, or promotes healing, safety, comfort, or compassion, then it probably excludes evil alignments. If it promotes cruelty or self-interest, the school probably excludes good alignments. If a school promotes no particular philosophy, it probably includes specialists of all alignments.

If a school advocates logical thinking and adherence to strict behavioral norms, and discourages excessive self-expression, it probably leans toward lawful alignments. If it encourages creative thinking, freedom of expression, and spontaneous actions, it leans toward chaotic alignments (this is particularly true if it also encourages defiance of written laws to achieve individual goals). If the school takes no particular position on the specialist's relationship with his culture and society, it probably includes lawful, neutral, and chaotic specialists. (The school of metamorphics takes no particular positions on these issues, therefore it is open to specialists of all alignments. Note that this attitude about alignments is also consistent with the school's general philosophy of skepticism about absolutes described above.)

Are any particular personality types drawn to the study of this school? Do they tend to share any common eccentricities? Common likes or dislikes? Would anything about your new school tend to discourage certain types of people or attract others? The school of metamorphics attracts students with a natural interest in the world around them. Since its spells change one thing into another, most students will be interested in how things work and how things are put together-- in short, metamorphics students are analytical, curious, and creative.

What's the relationship of the specialist to other members of his party? Usually, the type of spells available to a specialist will suggest his role in the campaign. If the specialist has a lot of offensive spells, he will likely be on the front lines when the party goes to battle. A specialist with a lot of defensive or reconnaissance spells might be a good spy or investigator. Although we haven't yet devised many spells for our transfigurists, it looks like neither offensive nor defensive spells will predominate. Therefore, it seems likely that a transfigurist will leave the bulk of the fighting to others in his party.

Do specialists of this school tend to have a lot of friends? Are they likely to have spouses and families? This depends on the specialist's philosophy, goals, and personality. Unless the specialist is extreme in one of these areas-- for instance, if he is obsessive about the study of magic, or if his field is considered repulsive or frightening (such as the school of necromancy)-- he is likely to have an average number of friends and an average chance at a successful marriage. (Since transfigurists have no extreme traits, we will assume that they have a fair number of friends and are as likely as anyone to marry and raise a family. )

Where do these specialists prefer to live? As mentioned previously, certain schools tend to attract certain types of people. If a school's specialists tend to be outgoing and affable, they probably prefer to live in an urban area. If they're brooding and anti-social, or if they're conducting potentially dangerous research, they probably live in an isolated area. Usually, a specific location won't suggest itself-- specialists tend to live just about anywhere. We will make this the case with transfigurists.

How do the specialists spend most of their time? Reclusive types will stay close to home, usually lost in research, reading, or writing. Curious types are more inclined to explore the world, eager to meet people and experience new situations. In most cases, there will not be obvious pastimes applicable to all specialists of a school. This will be the case with transfigurists. They spend some of their time doing research at home and a fair amount of time out in the world exploring and socializing.

How do the specialists typically earn a living? Common occupations for wizards include teaching, counseling, researching, and advising. However, the spells available to a particular specialist might suggest additional careers. The metamorphics spells do not suggest any particular occupation, so transfigurists probably pursue the common wizard occupations.

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Chapter 3: Wizard Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 3: Wizard Kits

In Chapter 1, we discussed at length the schools of magic described in the Player's Handbook. In Chapter 2, we explained how to design new schools. Specialization in a school is an excellent way to individualize a wizard character, but it is not the only way.

In this chapter, we'll show you how to further individualize a wizard character by choosing a wizard kit. A kit is a collection of skills, proficiencies, advantages, and disadvantages used to help define a wizard's personality and background as well as his role in the campaign

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Kits and Character Creation (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Kits and Character Creation

Wizard kits are entirely optional-- a wizard character can easily get along without one. But a player who wishes to add detail to his wizard should choose a kit when the character is first created. Only one wizard kit can be chosen for a character.

 It is possible to incorporate these rules into existing campaigns, providing the players and the DM can agree on which kits are appropriate. A kit must be compatible with a character's past actions, his background, and his established personality traits. For instance, if a diviner has been played as a thoughtful man of reason with a history of preferring negotiation to combat, and the player has made it clear that his character is from a sophisticated urban culture, it doesn't make sense to assign him the Savage Wizard kit.

Once a particular kit has been assigned to a character, it cannot be changed. However, the character can later abandon it if he wishes, giving up all benefits and hindrances. Bonus proficiencies (see below) are not forfeited. Instead, such proficiencies are no longer considered to be bonuses. The former bonus proficiencies are set aside until the character acquires new proficiency slots; at that time, the new proficiency slots are filled by the former bonus proficiencies.

When designing a new character, first determine the character's ability scores, race, specialization, and alignment.

Once these elements have been decided, choose a kit for the new character. After choosing the kit and recording the information on the character sheet, continue with the character's proficiencies, money and equipment, and other pertinent information.

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Kits and Schools of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Kits and Schools of Magic

Kits are culturally-based. Generally, any kit can be assigned to a specialist from any school. An Amazon-- one of several kits described below-- might be a necromancer or an illusionist, while a Mystic-- another type of kit-- could be a diviner or an abjurer.

However, there are occasional exceptions. Diviners, for instance, require a high Wisdom score, but the Savage Wizard-- a kit associated with the more primitive parts of the world-- usually lacks the necessary intuition and insight to specialize in the school of greater divination. Likewise, there are also some schools that favor certain kits.

All excluded schools and preferred schools are noted in each kit description. But these are only suggestions-- a Savage Wizard diviner is perfectly acceptable if the DM rules that such a character is allowable in his campaign.

Unless the DM determines otherwise, all kits are available to mages

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DM Choices (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
DM™ Choices

Before allowing players to choose kits for their characters, the DM should look at each kit and consider several factors.

Is this kit appropriate to the campaign? Not all kits make sense for every campaign. If it is established that Amazons do not exist in the DM's campaign world, he should not allow players to choose the Amazon kit. The DM should tell the players which kits he will allow and which are forbidden before they create their characters.

Do the players need more information about a kit? The DM might want to furnish the players with additional background information about a particular kit. For instance, he might tell them that in his world, the Savage Wizards all live on the jungle peninsula of Blackroot and have had little-- if any-- contact with other civilizations.

Are there any changes in the kit? The DM is free to make changes in the proficiencies, hindrances, and any other components of the kits to make them compatible with his campaign world. The players should be informed of any such changes before they choose kits for their characters.

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The Wizard Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Wizard Kits

Each wizard kit consists of a variety of elements.

Description: This section explains the cultural background, appearance, and manner of characters associated with this kit. It also lists any requirements necessary for characters taking the kit; for instance, characters taking the Amazon Sorceress kit must be female. Suggestions are also given for how a character might abandon the kit.

Preferred Schools: This lists which specialists are most appropriate to the kit. As explained in the Kits and Schools of Magic section above, there are many exceptions, and these should be considered suggestions only.

Chapter 1 outlined an ethos for each school, suggesting philosophies, attitudes, and personality traits for each specialist. When designing a character, the player should compare the personality traits and attitudes of the character's school with those of his kit. If a conflict arises, the player can choose whichever traits and attitudes he prefers, or whichever seem to make the most sense for his character. For instance, according to the abjurer's ethos in Chapter 1, an abjurer tends to be gentle and soft-spoken. However, a player who chooses the Amazon Sorceress kit may decide that his Amazon Sorceress abjurer is out-going and boisterous, as is appropriate to the Amazonian culture of his campaign world. With the DM's permission, an out-going, boisterous Amazon Sorceress abjurer is perfectly acceptable.

In general, a character's cultural background will have more influence on his personality than his school. Therefore, if a player cannot decide between the personality traits associated with his school's ethos and the traits associated with his character's kit, he should give more emphasis to the kit traits.

Barred Schools: This entry explains which schools are inappropriate for the kit. Though the DM is free to make exceptions, it is usually not a good idea to assign a kit to a specialist from a barred school.

Role: This section describes the role of a particular wizard in his society and in his campaign. For instance, an Amazon Sorceress has a different cultural role than a Witch, even if both are enchanters.

Secondary Skills: If you're using the Secondary Skills rules from the AD&D® 2nd Edition game rules, then a kit may require a character to take a specific skill instead of choosing or rolling randomly for it. (When choosing kits for characters, we suggest you use the Weapon and Nonweapon Proficiency rules instead of the Secondary Skills rules.)

Weapon Proficiencies: If you are using the Weapon Proficiency rules from the AD&D 2nd Edition game, this entry indicates which Weapon Proficiency is required for characters taking this kit. In some cases, a specific Weapon Proficiency is required; in other cases, a Weapon Proficiency can be chosen from among a list of recommended proficiencies.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: If you are using the Nonweapon Proficiency rules, this entry indicates whether specific Nonweapon Proficiencies are required for characters taking this kit. However, unlike Weapon Proficiencies, the Nonweapon Proficiencies are bonuses. If a kit requires that the character must have Astrology, then the character gets that proficiency free, above and beyond the slots he is normally granted. Even if such proficiencies belong to groups other than the Wizard or General groups, the character still gets them as bonuses at no charge.

If the kit grants a Nonweapon Proficiency that the wizard already has because of his specialization, the character receives instead one extra free Nonweapon Proficiency slot. He may spend this free slot on any specialization of his choice.

Some Nonweapon Proficiencies are recommended, not required. In such cases, the character is not required to take the proficiency if he does not want it. If he takes a recommended proficiency, he spends the normal number of his available proficiency slots.

Table 38 on page 55 of the Player's Handbook lists Nonweapon Proficiency crossovers for various groups. The crossover groups that apply to mages and illusionists also apply to specialists from all other schools; that is, any specialist selecting a Nonweapon Proficiency from the Wizard or General groups shown on Table 37 (page 54-55 of the PH ) spends the listed number of proficiency slots. When any specialist selects a proficiency from any other category, he must spend one additional slot beyond the number listed (exceptions are given in the Nonweapon Proficiencies entries for the various kits).

Equipment: Some wizard types tend to use specific equipment. Others have limitations or restrictions on the way they acquire or use equipment. This entry details the equipment employed by characters using this kit. (In no case is a wizard allowed to purchase armor.)

Special Benefits: Most kits grant special benefits to characters. Often, these benefits are defined as special reaction bonuses when encountering certain classes of society, or as special rights in specific cultures.

Special Hindrances: Each kit carries certain disadvantages to hinder the wizard. Often, these are reaction penalties or cultural restrictions.

Wealth Options: Some wizard types have special rules regarding their wealth. Usually, these rules specify differences in the amount of money received when the character is created and limitations on how the money can be spent.

Races: If a kit is not available to particular races, this will be noted here. Unless the DM makes exceptions for his campaign, humans can choose any of the kits.

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A Note About Reaction Adjustments (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
A Note About Reaction Adjustments

Several of the wizard kits receive reaction bonuses and penalties as part of their special benefits and special hindrances. As noted in the Player's Handbook (page 18), characters with very high or very low Charisma receive "reaction adjustments. " A character with high Charisma gets a bonus (expressed as a plus, such as +3), while a character with low Charisma gets a penalty (expressed as a minus, such as -3).

When rolling 2d10 for encounter reactions (see page 103 in the Dungeon Master's Guide), do not add the bonus or subtract the penalty from the die roll. If the character has a Charisma of 16, thus receiving a +5 reaction adjustment, subtract that number from the die roll-- do not add it. Otherwise, the more Charisma a character has, the worse the reaction of the NPCs

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The Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Kits

Academician

Description: The Academician is a learned scholar whose love of knowledge is matched only by his preoccupation with research. He is fascinated by magic in all its forms and enjoys nothing more than poring over arcane texts and experimenting with exotic magical devices.

 The Academician spends so much time involved in intellectual pursuits that he tends to neglect his physical skills. He is not a particularly good fighter and avoids combat when he can, preferring negotiation and parley to violence. Still, he recognizes the necessity of combat in certain instances, and will fight valiantly when required.

Academicians can be found in virtually any culture, but they are most likely to come from large urban areas that provide ready access to libraries, museums, laboratories, and other resources.

A character must have a minimum Intelligence of 13 and a minimum Wisdom of 11 to become an Academician.

There are no special rules for abandoning this kit. An Academician who becomes disillusioned with the academic life or loses interest in intellectual pursuits can choose to neglect his studies or research, but he is free to resume them at any time.

Preferred Schools: The Academician is intrigued by all the schools of magic, but is especially drawn to schools with a wide range of spells, including alteration, illusion, and invocation/evocation.

Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for the Academician.

Role: In his homeland, the Academician is a respected member of society, valued for his skills as a teacher and advisor as well as for his seemingly endless store of knowledge on a variety of subjects. Most likely, he will fill similar roles in a campaign.

In spite of his somewhat sedentary background, the Academician welcomes the chance to join an adventuring party. For him, it is an unparalleled opportunity to experience new cultures, acquire new devices, and acquire first-hand information about people, places, and creatures he may have only read about.

Secondary Skills: Required: Scribe.

Weapon Proficiencies: Required (the player may choose from the following): Dagger, Dart, Knife, or Sling.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiency: Reading/Writing. Recommended: (General) Artistic Ability, Etiquette, Heraldry, Languages (Modern); (Wizard) Ancient History, Astrology, Herbalism, Languages (Ancient), Spellcraft; (Priest) Local History.

Special Benefits: The Academician receives both of the following benefits:

1. Academicians maintain an extensive correspondence with scholars throughout the world. Additionally, an Academician's reputation as a man of wisdom often precedes him. When encountering an NPC who is familiar with his reputation, who turns out to be one of his correspondents, who fancies himself an intellectual, or who is an author, researcher, teacher, journalist, or fellow scholar, the Academician receives a +3 reaction bonus.

2. The Academician receives a bonus to all Intelligence Checks and Wisdom Checks. The DM has two options for assigning this bonus. He may simply give the Academician a flat +1 to his Intelligence and Wisdom Checks, or he can consult Table 5, which takes the Academician's age and race into account; as the Academician ages, his bonuses increase. Once a method for assigning these bonuses is chosen, it cannot be changed later.

Special Hindrances: Academicians lack the training and instinct to make good hand-to-hand fighters. When attacking with any type of melee weapon, the Academician always has a -1 penalty to hit on his first blow. Subsequent blows-- when the Academician has had an opportunity to size up his opponent and adjust his attacks accordingly-- are made without this penalty. However, if the Academician attacks a different opponent, his first blow against his new victim is also made at -1.

Academicians tend to be know-it-alls, and unhesitatingly offer their opinions even on matters they know little about. Whenever the party needs to make a decision, the Academician should offer his opinion; for effective role-playing, the player should have his player speak his mind with unshakable confidence. If other player characters disagree, the Academician might lecture them on the error of their ways, welcome the opportunity for a spirited argument, or roll his eyes at his companion's blatant display of ignorance.

Wealth Options: The Academician receives the normal (1d4 +1) x 10 gp as starting money.

Races: No restrictions

Table 5: Ability Check Bonuses for Academicians

Race	Age	Intelligence Check Bonus	Wisdom Check Bonus
Elf	100-175	+1	0
	176-233	+2	+1
	234-350	+3	+2
	351+	+4	+3
Gnome	60-100	+1	0
	101-133	+2	+1
	134-200	+2	+2
	201+	+3	+2
Half-	15-62	+1	0
Elf	63-83	+2	+1
	84-125	+2	+2
	126+	+3	+2
Human	15-45	+1	0
	46-60	+1	+1
	61-90	+2	+1
	91+	+2	+2
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Amazon Sorceress (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Amazon Sorceress

     Description: Amazons belong to matriarchal societies that thrive in a world otherwise dominated by males. Women occupy all important positions in Amazon societies-- they are the rulers, artisans, soldiers, and scholars.

     Most Amazon societies have existed unchanged for thousands of years, living in relative isolation from the rest of the word, but others have more recent origins. Some were established by disgruntled women who tired of their subservient roles in male-dominated cultures and decided to rule themselves, while others were created by deities sympathetic to the plight of women.

     Men are second-class citizens in Amazon cultures, occupying positions of menial servitude to their female superiors. In some societies, men are kept as slaves, treated only marginally better than domestic animals. Still others have eliminated men entirely.

     Amazons from totally male-free societies make occasional forays into neighboring communities to fraternize with men. Others perpetuate their civilization by being extremely friendly with male adventurers passing through their territory; when the Amazons tire of their company, the adventurers are sent on their way or killed.

     An Amazon society may be as small as a single village or large enough to fill an entire continent. Because they are continually under siege from male-dominated civilizations, Amazons have mastered the art of war. Traditionally, Amazons are superior horse breeders and riders, excelling with spears, bows, and other weapons that can be wielded from horseback.

     A character must be female to be an Amazon. There are no other requirements.

     To abandon this kit, the character must renounce her Amazon citizenship, most likely because she has grown to identify more closely with a different culture.

     Preferred Schools: Amazons with high Constitution tend to be drawn to the schools of conjuration/summoning and invocation/evocation; both are especially useful on the battlefield. Diviners are also common, as they make excellent administrative advisors and counselors.

     Barred Schools: Amazons shun the dark forces associated with the school of necromancy. Because of its perceived uselessness in combat, they also avoid the school of illusion.

     Role: Most Amazons are warriors, but the few wizards among them are held in high regard, as is any person who has mastered a difficult art. Amazon Sorceresses typically serve as seers, advisors, counselors, and administrators. Because of their formidable power, Amazon Sorceresses especially invokers and conjurers-- are always welcome on the battlefield.

     In male-dominated cultures, the Amazon is regarded as a curiosity at best. She is stared at, whispered about, and sometimes openly ridiculed. Well-meaning women who have accepted subservience as a cultural norm may try to convince the Amazon to change her unnatural ways, while chauvinistic men, seeing her as a threat to their masculinity, may feel compelled to dominate her in any number of ways. Even open-minded citizens will likely be suspicious of a female with such unusual attitudes.

     Among her peers in an adventuring party, the Amazon Sorceress will prove to be a courageous fighter and a capable spell caster. Although the other player-characters may harbor some prejudices of their own about the role of females, the DM should discourage any overt discrimination; once she has proven herself in tough situations, the Amazon should be accepted as an equal in all regards.

     Secondary Skills: Required: Groom.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required: None. Recommended: Spear or long bow. This is contrary to the weapons usually allowed wizards, but is typical for Amazon cultures.

     Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiencies: Riding (Land-based), Animal Training. Recommended: (General) Animal Handling; (Warrior) Animal Lore, Armorer, Bowyer/Fletcher, Hunting, Running, Survival, Tracking.

     Equipment: When an Amazon character is first created, she must buy her weapons from among the following choices only: bow (any type), dagger/dirk, javelin, knife, spear. Once she has adventured elsewhere in the world, she may purchase other types of weapons.

     Special Benefits: Male opponents who have never encountered the formidable Amazon women tend to underestimate them. Therefore, the first time such a male encounters an Amazon in combat, the Amazon receives a +3 bonus to hit and +3 to damage on her first blow only. These bonuses reflect the fact that the opponent is taken off guard by such an able female.

     This bonus is not applicable in every situation. The DM should consider the following guidelines when ruling on the Amazon Sorceress's bonus.

•	The bonus does not apply to opponents of 5th level or higher. Such opponents are too seasoned to be surprised in this manner.

•	The bonus does not apply to opponents from cultures where females are accepted as equals and female warriors are common.

•	The bonus does not apply to opponents who have fighting females as comrades, who have faced fighting women before, or who have seen the Amazon use her bonus on someone else.

•	The bonus does not always apply to player characters. The DM might ask a quick, guarded question of the player to learn whether his character would underestimate a female opponent.

     Regardless of whether the Amazon's first blow hits or misses her intended victim, the victim will never be subject to the bonus again; the bonus can be used only once per victim.

     Special Hindrances: The Amazon suffers a -3 reaction roll adjustment from NPCs from male- dominated societies. This reaction adjustment no longer applies once characters come to know and respect her. Likewise, player characters need not respond with hostility toward their Amazon companion unless they want to do so for role-playing purposes.

     Wealth Options: The Amazon Sorceress receives the normal (1d4 + 1) x 10 gp as starting money.

     Races: Most Amazons are human, but other races are acceptable, with the adjustments that follow.

•	Half-elves: Substitute either short bow or spear for the required Weapon Proficiency.

•	Gnomes: Substitute throwing axe or short sword for the required Weapon Proficiency, use ponies for mounts, and substitute Tracking and Survival for the bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies.

•	Elves: Substitute Endurance and Set Snares for the bonus Nonweapon Proficiencies.

Table of Contents


Anagakok (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Anagakok

     Description: The Anagakok is a wizard from a primitive society that occupies one of the world's most extreme climates. Primarily concerned with survival, the Anagakok uses his magical skills to help his fellow tribesmen locate food, plan for dangerous shifts in the weather, and protect them from hostile creatures and rival tribes who are in competition for the same limited resources. An Anagakok also brings good fortune to his tribe; many believe he is possessed by a guardian spirit (though there is no actual evidence of this).

     The Anagakok is known by a variety of names which depend on his society of origin; other names for an Anagakok include Magian, Phylacterist, Veronican, Scarabor, and Obeahist.

     Although an Anagakok can originate from any number of hostile environments, two are considered in this discussion. The first is the Anagakok from a climate where the temperature never rises above 0 degrees F., whom we call the Frigid Climate Anagakok. The second is the Anagakok from a climate where the temperature never falls below 100 degrees F., whom we call the Torrid Climate Anagakok.

     To be an Anagakok, a wizard must have a Constitution of at least 13. Female Anagakok are as common as males.

     Though an Anagakok can renounce his heritage and sever ties with his society, he cannot renounce this kit; the traits of an Anagakok are inborn and permanent.

     Preferred Schools: The preferred schools of the Anagakok are abjuration, alteration, enchantment/charm, invocation/evocation, and greater divination.

     Barred Schools: Anagakok are barred from the schools of illusion and necromancy because of their spells' relative uselessness for surviving in hostile environments.

     Role: The Anagakok is serious-minded, even-tempered, and soft-spoken. Though unfamiliar with societies and cultures other than his own, he adapts quickly and is fascinated by technology in all its forms.

     In a campaign, an Anagakok tends to assume responsibility for the safety of his companions; their security is always foremost in his mind. Though the Anagakok are not natural leaders (such roles are usually reserved for the strongest warriors in their tribes) they are superb and fearless combatants, quick to volunteer for the most dangerous missions.

     Secondary Skills: Required (choose one of the following, based on the Anagakok's background): Fisher, Forester, Hunter, Navigator, Trapper/Furrier.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (choose one of the following, based on the Anagakok's background): Bow (any), dagger, harpoon, javelin, knife, sling, trident.

     Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus: Endurance, Survival, Weather Sense. Recommended: (General) Direction Sense, Fire-building, Riding (Land-based), Rope Use, Swimming; (Wizard) Astrology; (Warrior, all cost single slots) Animal Lore, Hunting, Mountaineering, Running, Set Snares.

     Equipment: A beginning Anagakok can buy weapons only from those listed in the Weapon Proficiency entry above. He can buy only equipment that would normally be available in his home society; the DM has the right to veto any initial purchase.

     An Anagakok must spend all his initial money. Any money not spent is lost.

     Special Benefits: An Anagakok can find food in even the most barren of environments. In a 24-hour period, an Anagakok can find enough food to feed himself and a number of people equal to his level (for instance, a 4th-level Anagakok can find enough food to feed himself and four others every day).

     Once per week, an Anagakok can cast a special good fortune spell on himself and a number of people equal to his level; the effect of good fortune lasts for a number of turns equal to his level (for instance, a 4th-level Anagakok can cast good fortune on himself and four others, and the effect lasts for four turns). All opponents have a -1 penalty on their chance to hit when attacking those under the effect of good fortune. This ability is innate; an Anagakok is not required to memorize good fortune, nor does it count against his daily spell limit.  To cast the spell, an Anagakok must merely concentrate for 1 round and point to the subjects to be affected; no verbal or material components are required.

     Additionally, an Anagakok has natural immunities to environmental extremes based on his background. A Frigid Climate Anagakok suffers no penalties, damage, or other restrictions in environments of extreme cold. A Torrid Climate Anagakok suffers no penalties, damage, or other restrictions in environments of extreme heat. These immunities apply to natural conditions only; for instance, a Frigid Climate Anagakok suffers normal damage from cone of cold and other cold-based spells, while a Torrid Climate Anagakok suffers normal damage from fireball and other heat-based spells.

     Special Hindrances: Exposure to harsh climates gives the Anagakok an unusual appearance, such as a tough, leathery skin for the Torrid Climate Anagakok, and a head-to-toe covering of short, coarse hair for the Frigid Climate Anagakok. Because of his appearance and strange manner, an Anagakok suffers a -2 reaction penalty from all NPCs unfamiliar with the Anagakok's culture.

     Just as their backgrounds provide them with natural immunities to certain environmental extremes, all Anagakok suffer penalties when exposed to environments radically different from those in which they were born. A Frigid Climate Anagakok suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, damage rolls, Ability Checks, and saving throws in environments with temperatures above 100 degrees F. A Torrid Climate Anagakok suffers a -1 penalty to all attack rolls, damage rolls, Ability Checks, and saving throws in environments with temperatures below 0 degrees F.

     Wealth Options: A beginning Anagakok receives only (1d4 +1) x 8 gp as starting money.

     Races: No restrictions.

     Notes: Players and DMs are encouraged to invent their own types of Anagakok from other extreme environments. An Anagakok who lives in the bottom of an active volcano, in the depths of the ocean, or on an island continually battered by hurricane winds are all possibilities. Use the examples above to develop appropriate bonuses and penalties for each type of Anagakok based on his background.

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Militant Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Militant Wizard

     Description: The Militant Wizard is skilled in both magical and military arts, making him an extremely formidable opponent. They can come from aggressive, warmongering cultures bent on the conquest of weaker nations, or from cultures continually under siege from their more warlike neighbors, making military preparedness vital to their defense. In any case, the Militant Wizard considers a trained body as important as a trained mind, and prides himself on keeping his combat skills as sharp as his magical talents.

     A character must have a Strength of at least 13 to be a Militant Wizard. Though male Militant Wizards will be more common, female Militant Wizards are allowable as well, unless the DM's world specifically forbids them.

     Abandoning this kit is difficult. A Militant Wizard must abstain from using both of the weapons he has chosen for his Weapon Proficiencies for three full experience levels. Once he reaches the third experience level, he loses the use of his two Weapon Proficiencies. If he then renounces his citizenship from his home culture, he can successfully abandon this kit.

     For example, consider a 5th-level Militant Wizard with Weapon Proficiencies in short sword and long bow. If he abstains from using both of these weapons (and the corresponding Weapon Proficiencies), he loses his Weapon Proficiencies in short sword and long bow when he reaches 8th level. If he then renounces his citizenship from his home culture, he can abandon this kit. If he uses these weapons before reaching 8th level, he must begin again, abstaining for an additional three levels of experience (for instance, if he uses his long bow Weapon Proficiency when at 7th level, he'll have to abstain until he reaches 10th level in order to abandon this kit. )

     Preferred Schools: Militant Wizards prefer schools with an excess of offensive and defensive spells, such as abjuration, alteration, conjuration/summoning, invocation/evocation, and necromancy.

     Barred Schools: Militant Wizards are barred from specializing in the schools of enchantment/charm and illusion, as their cultures tend to consider them relatively useless in combat. Though greater divination has uses on the battlefield, particularly in the area of reconnaissance, Militant Wizards are discouraged, but not barred, from divination specialization.

     Role: Militant Wizards are among the most honored and respected citizens in their societies, since their powerful magic makes them exceptionally able soldiers. Depending on his background, the Militant Wizard may be a brutal, savage killer, wallowing in the violence of the battlefield, or he may be a heroic warrior, fighting with honor and taking lives only when necessary.

     A Militant Wizard might have a variety of reasons for joining an adventuring party. Perhaps he shares the party's goal of defeating a force of evil, or he might be seeking treasure to finance his own army at home. He might wish to study the fighting techniques of other cultures, or he might hire on as a mercenary.

     Whatever his reasons, the Militant Wizard's fighting skills should greatly benefit any party. He makes an excellent leader, but he is also capable of following orders to the letter, assuming the orders are issued by a commander he respects. The Militant Wizard tends to prefer action to inaction and combat to negotiation. He is skeptical of scholarly and philosophic types, and is unlikely to form close relationships with such characters.

     Secondary Skills: No particular Secondary Skill is recommended or required. He receives his Secondary Skill either by choosing or rolling randomly, whatever method is normal for the campaign.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (choose one from of the following): Battle axe, bow (any), crossbow (any), dagger, javelin, sling, spear, sword (any), warhammer. These are different from the weapons normally associated with wizards, but they are common for Militant Wizards. Also, see the Special Benefits section below.

     Nonweapon Proficiency: Bonus: (Warrior) Endurance. Recommended: (General) Animal Handling, Direction Sense, Riding (Land-based), Swimming;(Wizard) Languages (Ancient); (Warrior; these take 2 slots only) Blind- fighting, Tracking, (Warrior; these take 1 slot only) Mountaineering, Running, Set Snares.

     Equipment: The Militant Wizard may buy any equipment he chooses, keeping whatever money he might not use.

     Special Benefits: The Militant Wizard receives a bonus Weapon Proficiency free of charge; this is in addition to his normal Weapon Proficiency. This bonus Weapon Proficiency does not use any of the wizard's proficiency slots, but he must choose it from the weapons listed in the Weapon Proficiency entry above. Additionally, a Militant Wizard can acquire any of the Warrior's Nonweapon Proficiencies given on Table 37 on page 55 of the Player's Handbook at the listed number of slots; for instance, if a Militant Wizard wants the Animal Lore proficiency, it costs him only 1 slot instead of the normal 2 for a wizard.

     Special Hindrances: Because a Militant Wizard devotes so much of his time and energy to the mastery of military skills, he is limited in his access to spells from various schools. Table 6 lists the oppositional schools for Militant Wizards of each specialty; the Militant Wizard is forbidden to learn spells from these schools.

Table 6: Oppositional Schools for Militant Wizards

Specialist	Oppositional Schools
Abjurer	Illusion
	Alteration
	Greater Divin.
Conjurer	Alteration
	Greater Divin.
	Invoc./Evoc.
Diviner	Conj./Summ.
	Abjuration
Invoker	Illusion
	Enchant. /Charm
	Conj./Summ.
Necromancer	Enchant. /Charm
	Illusion
	Alteration
Transmuter	Necromancy
	Abjuration
	Conj. /Summ.

Militant Wizard mages are likewise limited. The DM may decide which of the following limitations affects Militant Wizard mages in his campaign (choose only one limitation).

     1. The Militant Wizard mage is forbidden to learn 8th-level and 9th-level spells from any school.

     2. The Militant Wizard mage learns spells as if his Intelligence were two points lower than he actually has, as indicated on Table 4, page 16 of the Player's Handbook. This limitation also affects the number of languages he can learn, the highest level of spells he can cast, the maximum number of spells per level he can know, and his spell immunity. For instance, if this limitation is in effect for a Militant Wizard mage with an Intelligence score of 15, he can only know three languages, can cast spells of no higher than 6th-level, has a 55 percent chance to learn a new spell, and has a maximum of nine spells per level that he can know.

     3. The Militant Wizard mage can learn spells from only five schools. To determine which schools are unavailable to him, roll 1d8 three times, where 1 = abjuration, 2 = conjuration/summoning, 3 = greater divination, 4 = enchantment/charm, 5 = illusion, 6 = invocation/evocation, 7 = necromancy, and 8 = alteration. If the same result occurs twice, roll again.

     Wealth Options: The Militant Wizard receives the standard (1d4 + 1) x 10 starting money.

     Races: No restrictions

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Mystic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Mystic

     Description: Thoughtful, reserved, and extremely introspective, the Mystic is devoted to self-enlightenment and sees the study of magic as the key to spiritual awareness. The Mystic enjoys nothing more than spending long hours contemplating the mysteries of the universe and attempting to become more in touch with his inner self. The Mystic is not necessarily a student of religion or philosophy; he seeks an awareness that can only be found intuitively.

     The Mystic is by no means a reluctant magic-user. In fact, the Mystic believes that the casting of each spell and the acquisition of each new magical technique brings him closer to perfect awareness. The mental discipline necessary for the mastery of magic is the perfect compliment to self-knowledge.

     The Mystic can come from any culture, but he is usually from a society that places a high value on philosophy, art, and scholarship. His is most likely to join an adventuring party for the opportunity to broaden his outlook, discover new things about himself, and use magic in new, enlightening ways.

     To be a Mystic, a wizard must have a Wisdom score of at least 13.

     There are no special rules for abandonment of this kit. If the Mystic grows weary of the contemplative life or feels that he has reached a pinnacle of self- awareness, he can simply leave this kit behind.

     Preferred Schools: The Mystic prefers the schools of illusion, divination, and enchantment/charm.

     Barred Schools: Because the Mystic is predisposed against magic that harms other living things, he is barred from specializing in the schools of necromancy, invocation/evocation, and conjuration/summoning. He is not prevented from learning spells from these schools-- he simply prefers to limit his association with them.

     Role: In many societies, the Mystic is considered to be little more than a crackpot, an eccentric with an utter lack of ambition who serves no useful purpose. In more enlightened cultures, the Mystic is seen as a seeker of truth, a sensitive soul engaged in an inspiring spiritual journey.

 In a campaign, the Mystic is quiet and non-aggressive. His very presence is soothing to the party, and he always has a word of comfort or encouragement for his companions. The Mystic avoids combat whenever possible, but courageously rises to the occasion when his comrades are threatened. Only in the most extreme circumstances will the Mystic intentionally take a life; however, he will kill if necessary to preserve his own life or the life of a companion.

     Secondary Skills: The Mystic must take one of the following as his Secondary Skill (player's choice, based on the Mystic's background): Farmer, Forester, Groom, Mason, Scribe, Tailor/Weaver, Woodworker.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (the player chooses one of the following): Dagger, dart, or sling.

     Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus: Astrology, Religion. Recommended: (General) Agriculture, Artistic Ability, Carpentry, Etiquette, Languages (Modern), Leatherworking, Pottery, Seamstress/Tailor, Stonemasonry, Weaving; (Wizard) Ancient History, Herbalism, Languages (Ancient), Reading/Writing, Spellcraft.

     Equipment: The Mystic may buy only the weapon associated with his Weapon Proficiency. As his adventuring career progresses, he can buy (and use) only daggers, darts, knives, and slings. He must spend all of his starting money; any leftover gold is lost.

     Special Benefits: The Mystic receives one of the following special abilities from the list below. The special ability is chosen when the character is first created and can never be changed.

     1. Once per week, the Mystic can feign death as per the 3rd-level wizard spell; he can use this ability only on himself. The Mystic can feign death for up to 24 hours, awakening at any time. To use this ability, the Mystic must merely concentrate for 1 round; no components are necessary.

     2. Once per week, the Mystic can transform his consciousness into a ghostly spirit form, leaving his physical body behind. The spirit form has the appearance of a misty cloud in the shape of the caster. The spirit form cannot attack, speak, or cast spells, but it can fly at a movement rate of 24 (Maneuverability Class B) and can pass through the smallest opening or tiniest crack. The Mystic's spirit form can travel an unlimited distance from his physical body as long as it remains in the same plane of existence. The spirit form is invulnerable to all attack forms, but dispel magic or a similar spell causes the spirit form to instantly return to its body.

     While in spirit form, the Mystic's physical body remains comatose. The body is subject to all regular attacks and suffers damage normally. The spirit form can remain away from the body for up to 24 hours, but once it returns to its body, the Mystic revives and cannot use his spirit form for another week.

     To use his spirit form, the Mystic must merely concentrate for 1 round; no components are necessary.

     3. Once per week, the Mystic can use a special levitate self ability for one hour. Once initiated, the Mystic can use this ability to levitate himself straight up in the air at a rate of 10 yards per round. He can stop, hover, descend, and ascend at will, though horizontal movement is not empowered by this ability (however, the Mystic could push himself along a wall to move laterally). While levitating, the Mystic can carry as much weight as he can normally. Unlike the levitation spell, the Mystic using levitate self suffers no attack roll penalties when attempting to use missile weapons.

     To use this ability, the Mystic must merely concentrate for 1 round; no components are required. As soon as a levitating Mystic touches the ground, his use of this ability is over; he can use it again in another week.

     Special Hindrances: A Mystic must spend two consecutive hours per day meditating. These two hours must always occur at the same time of day; the player can decide which hours are devoted to meditation, but once decided, the time period can never change (typical meditation times are the first two hours of dawn, the first two hours after sunset, or from midnight to 2 a. m. ). If the Mystic neglects to perform his meditation, is unable to perform it, or is interrupted more than once (for more than a total of 1 minute), the following day he is able to cast only the number of spells allowed to a wizard one level lower than his actual level. For instance, if a 4th-level Mystic is unable to meditate on Day 1, on Day 2 he will be able to cast only as many spells as a 3rd-level wizard.

     Wealth Options: The Mystic receives only (1d4 + 1) x 5 gp as starting money.

     Races: No limitations

Table of Contents


Patrician (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Patrician

     Description: The Patrician is a wizard of noble birth, a member of his culture's aristocracy. Born into a life of wealth and privilege, the Patrician considers himself an arbiter of good taste and a connoisseur of the finer things in life. He looks down his nose at working men and women, as well as all others he considers to be inconsequential rabble. If anything, his mastery of magic makes him even more arrogant than other members of the ruling class, since he sees his talent as clear proof of his superiority over common folk.

     The Patrician may join an adventuring party out of a sense of duty to his country or to promote the common good-- in spite of their snobbery, good-aligned Patricians have strong moral codes. A Patrician might have grown weary of his pampered life and sought an adventuring party to add a touch of excitement to his otherwise dreary existence. Alternately, his parents might have ordered him to join a party to teach him humility.

     There are no special requirements to be a Patrician. The majority are male, but noblewomen are also included in this category (although such a character would more correctly be called a Noblewoman or Aristocrat).

     To abandon this kit, the Patrician must renounce his birthright. He will forever after be ostracized by all the nobility from his homeland and may even be disowned and disinherited by his family.

     Preferred Schools: The Patrician can specialize in any school, but prefers those that he perceives as most powerful, such as conjuration/summoning, alteration, and invocation/evocation.

     Barred Schools: The Patrician will not specialize in necromancy, a school he considers disgusting and repulsive.

     Role: The Patrician prefers the company of nobles and other members of the upper class. Most Patricians are wealthy and have no need to earn money, but many still serve their societies as administrators, counselors, and ambassadors. Since they have access to the the finest teachers and universities, Patricians are extremely well-educated and expert in a variety of areas.

     Fellow player characters will rightfully perceive the Patrician to be an arrogant, condescending snob. On the positive side, the Patrician is also well-mannered and courteous, even to those he considers to be his social inferiors. Male Patricians can be extremely chivalrous to members of the opposite sex, regardless of whether they like it or not. The Patrician is generally cooperative with the party, though he will balk at any suggestion that compromises his sense of dignity (for instance, he will never enter a filthy cavern or search the bodies of slain enemies without squawking). His first-rate education and extensive travels make him an excellent source of information.

     Secondary Skills: Required (the player must choose one of the following): Bowyer, Gambler, Groom, Jeweler, Limner/Painter, Scribe.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (the player must choose one of the following): dagger, knife.

     Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus: (General) Etiquette, Heraldry, Riding (Land-based). Recommended: (General) Dancing, Languages (Modern), Riding (Land-based), Singing; (Wizard) Ancient History, Languages (Ancient), Reading/Writing, Religion; (Rogue, double slots) Ancient History, Appraising, Gaming, Local History, Musical Instrument; (Priest, double slots) Languages (Ancient).

     Equipment: A beginning Patrician must buy all of the following items: horse (must be at least a riding horse), riding saddle, bit and bridle, horseshoes and shoeing, halter, and saddle blanket. He can spend the rest of his money as he wishes.

     Special Benefits: The Patrician begins with more starting money than other wizards (see the Wealth Options entry below). Additionally, he receives a +3 reaction modifier from any noble from his own culture, and a +2 reaction modifier from nobles from other cultures. When traveling, a Patrician can demand shelter from any fellow noblemen from his own culture. Such shelter is offered free of charge and is made available for the Patrician and up to two persons per experience level of the Patrician (for instance, a 3rd-level Patrician can demand shelter for himself and six others).

     Special Hindrances: When making purchases, the Patrician accepts nothing but the best, whether it be a meal, a room for the night, a weapon, or even a chest to carry his possessions. Any time he buys any item, the Patrician must pay 10 to 100 percent more than the listed price in the Player's Handbook. The DM will decide the price paid by the Patrician, which may vary from item to item, depending on the quality of merchandise in a particular locale. For instance, the best meal in Village A might sell for 7 sp, while the best meal in Village B might sell for 10 sp.  In all cases, the Patrician will settle for no less than the most expensive item available; he always pays at least 10 percent more than the listed price.

     If a Patrician lacks the funds to buy high-quality items, he can settle for cheaper goods, but he no longer receives his reaction bonus in that particular encounter or community; NPCs simply do not believe that he is a noble. For instance, if a Patrician settles for a standard 5 sp meal at an inn, all of the NPCs in the inn react to him normally, ignoring his insistence that he's a nobleman. Word will quickly spread throughout the community that an amusing fellow is pretending to be a nobleman, and soon all of the NPCs in the community will react to him normally. If a Patrician settles for shabby accoutrements, such as a normal sword or average saddle, all NPCs will react to him normally until he replaces them with more expensive items.

     Just as the Patrician can demand shelter from other noblemen, so can they demand shelter from him. Note that this can get to be an expensive proposition if the NPC noblemen stay for any length of time.

     Wealth Options: The Patrician receives an extra 150 gp in addition to the standard (1d4 + 1) x 10 gp.

     Races: No restrictions. However, if a particular race doesn't recognize or allow socio-economic stratifications in the DM's campaign world, that race will not have Patricians

 Table of Contents


Peasant Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Peasant Wizard

     Description: The Peasant Wizard is a spell caster of modest means whose exceptional skills and matchless courage have made him a champion of the masses. Though his talents have set him apart and made him a legend in his homeland, he will never forget his roots. An advocate of the commoner, the Peasant Wizard devotes himself to the promotion of equality and justice. The Peasant Wizard is the most frequently encountered of all the wizards. There are no additional ability requirements for the Peasant Wizard. No special rules exist for abandoning this kit.

     Preferred Schools: There are no preferred schools for the Peasant Wizard, though illusionists, abjurers, and invokers are among the most frequently encountered.

     Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for the Peasant Wizard; however, there are fewer necromancers and diviners than any other specialist.

     Role: The Peasant Wizard fights on behalf of the common people. He considers himself protector of the helpless, actively opposing any action from the party that threatens or exploits the peasants. For instance, he won't allow his party to recruit peasants for combat support unless they fully understand the risks involved. When a companion of the Peasant Wizard bargains with a common man for goods or services, the Peasant Wizard makes sure his companion pays the common man a fair price. When the party recovers a treasure, the Peasant Wizard demands that the local citizens receive their fair share if they helped the party in any way or if the treasure was recovered on their land.

     The Peasant Wizard sees the wealthy classes as a primary reason for the commoners' miseries, so he has little respect or patience for noblemen and the wealthy. Aside from the occasional insult, the Peasant Wizard is likely to avoid associating with any Patricians in his party.

     Secondary Skills: The player may choose his Peasant Wizard's secondary skill. The DM might consider limiting this choice to skills that are useful to peasants such as swimming; it is unlikely (but not impossible) that a peasant wizard could learn heraldry or etiquette.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (player's choice): Bow (any), dagger, knife, spear, dart, sling.

     Nonweapon Proficiency: Bonus (one of the following, player's choice: Agriculture, Fishing. Recommended: (General) Animal Handling, Blacksmithing, Carpentry, Cobbling, Cooking, Direction Sense, Fire-building, Leatherworking, Pottery, Riding (Land-based), Stonemasonry, Weather Sense, Weaving.

     Equipment: The Peasant Wizard can spend his money on anything he likes, within the limitations described in the Special Hindrances entry below.

     Special Benefits: When in his homeland, the Peasant Wizard will always be given food and shelter at no charge from his fellow commoners. This courtesy extends to the Peasant Wizard's companions, as long as he vouches for them. The Peasant Wizard does not receive this benefit in lands other than his own, but he always receives a +2 reaction modifier from peasants in any culture.

     Special Hindrances: Aside from weapons, a Peasant Wizard may own only one item worth as much as 15 gp. Aside from this item, all of his other items must be valued at 10 gp or less. The total value of all his possessions, including money but excluding weapons, can never exceed 75 gp. Any treasure or possessions in excess of this limit must be donated to some worthy cause.

     Wealth Options: The Peasant Wizard receives only (1d4 + 1) x 5 gp for starting money.

     Races: No restrictions.

Table of Contents


Savage Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Savage Wizard

     Description: The Savage Wizard is the spell caster of a remote tribe, culturally and technologically primitive by the standards of the rest of the world. Although these tribes commonly maintain functional civilizations for thousands of years, their traditions, dress, and customs are so simple that most outsiders consider them unsophisticated brutes.

     There are a variety of Savage tribes around the world, ranging from pacifistic societies of farmers and herders to bloodthirsty headhunters and barbarians. All, however, are sharply attuned to the natural world, sharing a deep respect for animal and plant life and an innate understanding of the mysteries of nature.

     To be a Savage Wizard, a character must have a minimum Strength score of 11 and a minimum Constitution score of 13.

     To abandon this kit, a character must renounce his membership with his tribe and become a citizen of a different culture. Since tribal roots run deep, a dramatic change such as this should be slow in coming; a Savage Wizard must have advanced at least five levels since leaving his tribe and experiencing adventures in the outside world before cutting ties with his tribe.

     Preferred Schools: Because their Constitutions tend to be exceptionally high, Savage Wizards excel in the schools of conjuration/summoning and invocation/evocation.

     Barred Schools: Savage Wizards lack the natural aptitude for mastering the schools of abjuration and enchantment/charm.

     Role: Most tribesmen are dazzled and impressed by magic, so the Savage Wizard typically holds a position of great power in his tribe. If not the actual ruler, the Savage Wizard is a respected teacher or tribal counselor. Depending on the nature of the tribe, the Savage Wizard is known by a variety of names, among them Witch Doctor, Mundunugu, Wangateur, and Isangoma.

     The Savage Wizard's power can sometimes work against him, particularly if his tribe is exceptionally superstitious or if an ambitious tribesman schemes to usurp the wizard's leadership role. If the tribe becomes convinced that the wizard is consorting with demons or otherwise stirring up dark forces better left alone, they may expel the wizard from the tribe with the threat of execution if he returns. This is one way that a Savage Wizard might link up with an adventuring party.

     In a campaign, the Savage Wizard takes the role of an outsider, baffled and intimidated by the mysteries of the "civilized" world. Products of technology, such as oil lanterns and crossbows, both fascinate and frighten him. While he is at home in the darkest jungles or most treacherous mountains, he is extremely uncomfortable in cities and towns. If the Savage Wizard is from a relatively pacifistic tribe, he might serve as the conscience of his party, questioning their eagerness to kill, their obsession with wealth, their selfishness, and their inequitable system of justice.

     Secondary Skills: The Savage Wizard's Secondary Skill should be based on the primary occupation of his tribe; that is, if his tribe is mostly fishermen, his Secondary Skill should be Fishing. Other likely skills include Forester, Groom, Hunter, and Trapper/Furrier.

     Weapon Proficiency: Required (one of the following, representing his tribe's weapon of choice): spear, blowgun, dagger, knife, or sling. Regardless of whether the Savage Wizard eventually becomes familiar with new weapons, he is likely to prefer his tribal weapon throughout his adventuring career.

     Nonweapon Proficiencies: (General) Direction Sense or Weather Sense (player choice); (Warrior) Endurance or Survival. Recommended: (General) Animal Handling, Animal Training, Fire-Building, Fishing, Riding (Land- based), Rope Use, Swimming; (Warrior, double slots) Animal Lore, Bowyer/Fletcher, Hunting, Mountaineering, Running, Set Snares, Tracking; (Priest, double slots) Healing, Local History; (Rogue, double slots) Jumping, Tightrope Walking, Tumbling; (Wizard) Herbalism, Religion. A Savage Wizard cannot take Etiquette or Heraldry when first created.

     Equipment: The only weapon the Savage Wizard can purchase initially is his tribal weapon (see Weapon Proficiency). He must spend all of his remaining gold when he is created; he may not keep any unspent gold. He can purchase only equipment that would normally be available to his tribe; for instance, his tribe probably has herbs, nuts, fishing nets, and rafts available, but they are unlikely to have chains, lanterns, hourglasses, or magnifying glasses. The DM has the final word as to what equipment is available to any particular Savage Wizard.

     Special Benefits: The Savage Wizard receives one of the following special abilities from the list below. The special ability is chosen when the character is first created and can never be changed.

     1. The Savage Wizard can manufacture a protective talisman once per week. The talisman is a small pouch of herbs hung on a leather cord which is worn around the subject's neck. The talisman gives protection from evil to the wearer, identical to the effects of the 1st-level wizard spell. The talisman offers continual protection for a full day, after which time the herbs disintegrate. Dispel magic or a similar spell permanently cancels the magic of that particular talisman. The Savage Wizard requires no less than one hour to manufacture a talisman.

     2. Once per week, the Savage Wizard can construct a small replicant of any single victim of his choice. The replicant is about 6 inches tall, made of clay, and crudely resembles the form of the victim. It must also contain a lock of hair, a fingernail, or other small piece of organic material from the victim. A Savage Wizard requires one hour to manufacture a replicant.

     Whenever the Savage Wizard cuts a piece from the replicant, sticks a pin in it, or otherwise "attacks" it, the replicant suffers 1-4 hit points of damage. The victim who is represented by the replicant suffers an identical amount of damage, regardless of the distance between the replicant and the victim (however, the victim must be on the same plane of existence as the replicant). Every type of damage on the replicant inflicts 1-4 hit points of damage; therefore, the Savage Wizard must take care not to destroy the replicant, for burning, crushing, or throwing the replicant into a pool of quicksand still inflicts only 1-4 hit points of damage. The replicant disintegrates when any of the following conditions are met:

•	The replicant has suffered 10 hit points (or more) of damage.

•	Dispel magic or a similar spell is cast on the replicant.

•	A week passes since the replicant's creation.

     3. Once per week, the Savage Wizard is able to forecast the general fortunes of some major undertaking by interpreting an omen from observing the natural conditions around him. To be receptive to an omen, the wizard must do nothing but concentrate for one uninterrupted turn; if his concentration is broken, he cannot attempt to interpret an omen for another week. After the turn of concentration, he studies his surroundings for an omen-- a rippling pond, a gathering of clouds, a swarm of insects, or the veins in a leaf are all possible sources of omens.

     A wizard usually consults an omen before starting a journey, engaging in a major battle, or embarking on some other significant task. If the DM has knowledge about the proposed action, the omen should reveal the appropriate information; for instance, if the party is considering exploring an abandoned building, but the DM knows it contains a spectre, the result should be an ill omen. In situations where the DM has no information on which to base his judgement, roll 1d10 and consult Table 7.

Table 7: Savage Wizard Omen Results

d10
Roll	Result
1-2	Ill Omen: The party should not undertake the task this day. If they ignore the omen, all party members will suffer a -1 penalty on "to hit" and saving throw rolls for the rest of the day, their chance for encounters will be doubled, and a -3 reaction modifier will be applied to all encounters
3-4	Great Danger Exists: If the party proceeds, their chance for encounters is doubled for the rest of the day and a –3 reaction modifier applies to all encounters. Opponents have a +1 applied to their chance to hit
5-7	Neutral Omen: The information is vague. No special modifiers apply
8-9	Favorable Omen: The party members' movement rate is increased by 50% for the rest of the day, and opponents have a -1 applied to their chance to hit
10	Auspicious Omen: All effects of a Favorable Omen apply; additionally, all party members gain a +1 on all saving throws made for the rest of the day

     Special Hindrances: The Savage Wizard's strange appearance and manners make strangers wary of him. Therefore, he suffers a -2 reaction adjustment from all NPCs not from his own tribe (PCs can react as they wish, but they should quickly become accustomed to the Savage and accept him as an equal. )

     Wealth Options: The Savage Wizard begins with only (1d4 +1) x 5 gp. As the campaign progresses, the Savage will have the opportunity to acquire more treasure, and it is up to the player whether he appreciates its value or rejects it as a worthless. (For instance, a Savage might accept gold but have a superstitious belief that requires him to reject gems.)

     Races: No restrictions.

Table of Contents


Witch (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Witch

     Description: The Witch is a wizard whose powerful magical abilities are extraplanar in origin. Though wizards typically learn the basics of spellcasting at magic academies or from learned mentors, Witches learn magical skills from entities and their minions from other planes of existence, or from other Witches.

     Occasionally, these extraplanar entities contact youthful humans or demihumans for magical instruction; other times, humans and demihumans seek out the entities through arcane rituals and petition them for instruction. The entities agree to such instruction for a variety of reasons-- some hope to train their students to eventually become emissaries; some hope to use them as conduits for various forces; some hope to seduce them as consorts; and some simply share their magical secrets for their own amusement.

     Whatever the motives of the extraplanar entities, they exude a powerful directing influence over their students. However, a few Witches with particularly strong wills are able to maintain their own drives while using their magical skills to further their own goals. Such Witches face a life-long struggle with the forces who relentlessly strive to direct their spirits.

     The requirements for becoming a Witch are higher than for any other kit. Because her training is more demanding than that received by most other wizards, she must have a minimum Intelligence and Wisdom of 13. To resist the corruption inherent from contact with extraplanar entities, she must have a minimum Constitution of 13. The vast majority of Witches are female, but male Witches are also possible, commonly called Warlocks.

     The Witch kit cannot be abandoned. If a Witch manages to sever all ties with the entities responsible for her instruction (usually requiring the power of a wish or its equivalent), she loses two experience levels. If she still wishes to pursue a magical career, she must relearn the experience levels that she lost.

     Preferred Schools: The most appropriate school for Witches is enchantment/charm. Conjuration/summoning and necromancy are also good choices.

     Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for Witches.

     Role: Regardless of her actual alignment, all but her closest friends are likely to presume that a Witch is in collaboration with extraplanar spirits, and will shun her accordingly. There are few places where a Witch is welcome, and for the most part, a Witch will need to conceal her identity when traveling to assure her safety.

     A Witch's player character companions need not have such fears or prejudices against her, especially after she proves herself in life-and-death situations. However, there might always be a veil of suspicion between the Witch and her companions, as if they cannot quite bring themselves to trust her completely. Any player characters with suspicious natures, particularly those with primitive or unsophisticated backgrounds, may never fully warm up to a Witch and will avoid being alone with her, sometimes even accusing her of betraying the party or bringing them bad luck. (The DM is free to encourage this type of role-playing, but not to the point of disrupting the campaign. If this distrust becomes problematic, the DM might remind the PC leader of the party that the Witch is indeed a good-aligned character and it is his job to promote good will among his companions.)

     Although a Witch learns her magical techniques from extraplanar entities, once on her own, she learns her spells in much the same way as any other wizard. Still, her techniques for casting spells may differ significantly from the standard methods. The casting times, ranges, and effects of her spells are no different from the same spells used by other wizards, but she may use different verbal, somatic, or material components, as well as meditation. These differences should make her seem even more threatening to outsiders, as well as making her seem more remote to the other player characters.

     Secondary Skills: Required: None. Recommended: Scribe.

     Weapon Proficiency: The Witch is not allowed an initial Weapon Proficiency, nor can she acquire a Weapon Proficiency as she advances in level.

     Nonweapon Proficiency: Bonus Proficiencies: Herbalism, Spellcasting. Recommended: (General) Artistic Ability, Brewing, Cooking, Languages (Modern), Weather Sense; (Wizard) Ancient History, Astrology, Languages (Ancient), Reading/Writing, Religion; (Priest, double slot) Healing.

     Equipment: When a Witch is first created, she must buy her weapons from among the following choices: Dagger or dirk, knife, sling, staff sling. Additionally, the Witch can choose up to 1,500 gp worth of magical items from Table 89 (Potions and Oils), Table 91 (Rings), Table 92 (Rods), Table 93 (Staves), Table 94 (Wands), and Tables 95- 103 (Miscellaneous Magic) on pages 135-139 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. These items are free-- she doesn't have to pay for them (but she cannot keep any of the leftover 1,500 gp).

     Special Benefits: When a Witch is initially created, she automatically gains the spells detect magic and read magic; these spells are in addition to any spells she normally receives. As a Witch increases in level, she automatically gains the following abilities. These are all naturally acquired abilities, and do not count against the number of spells she can know or use. All of the following abilities can be used once per week.

     3rd Level: The Witch acquires the ability to secure familiar. This is identical to the 1st-level wizard spell find familiar, except that a Witch does not need to burn 1,000 gp worth of incense and herbs in a brass brazier. Instead, the Witch must merely concentrate for one turn. If a suitable familiar is within 1 mile per level of the Witch, it will arrive within 1d10 hours. A Witch can have only one familiar at a time.

     5th Level: The Witch acquires the ability to brew calmative. Assuming she has access to the proper ingredients (usually available in any forest), the Witch can brew one dose of an elixir that has the effect of a sleep spell when a victim comes in contact with it. One dose is sufficient to coat a sword or any other single weapon. The elixir has no effect on victims with more than 8 HD; victims can resist the effects of the elixir with a successful saving throw.

     The Witch requires one hour to brew the elixir. The elixir loses its potency after 24 hours.

     7th Level: The Witch acquires the ability to brew poison. With the proper ingredients, available in most forests, she can brew one dose of Class L contact poison sufficient to coat a single weapon. The Witch requires one hour to brew the poison. It loses its potency in 24 hours.

     9th Level: The Witch acquires the ability to beguile any single person or monster (assuming the person is no higher than 8th-level or the monster has no more than 8 HD). Beguile is identical to the 4th-level wizard spell charm monster and the 1st-level wizard spell charm person, except that the victim is not allowed a saving throw. To cast beguile, the Witch must merely point at the victim and concentrate for 1 round; there are no verbal or material components.

     11th Level: The Witch acquires the ability to brew flying ointment. Assuming she has access to the proper ingredients (usually available in any forest), the Witch can brew one dose of an ointment which, when rubbed on the skin, gives the recipient the ability to fly, as per the 3rd-level wizard spell fly. The dose is sufficient to affect one human-sized subject; the effects persist until the ointment loses its potency 24 hours after it is brewed. The Witch requires one hour to brew the ointment.

     13th Level: The Witch acquires the ability to inflict a witch's curse on any single person or creature. This is exactly identical to the 4th-level wizard spell bestow curse, except that its effect is automatic; the victim is not allowed a saving throw. The effect of the curse persists for 24 hours unless the curse is dispelled by a remove curse, wish, or similar spell. To cast the spell, the Witch must merely point at the victim and concentrate for 1 round; no verbal or material components are required. To determine the effects of witch's curse, roll 1d8 and consult Table 8.

Table 8: Effects of Witch's Curse

d8 Roll	Result
1-3	One ability of the victim is lowered by 3 points. Determine which ability is lowered by rolling
		1d6:
		1 = Strength
		2 = Dexterity
		3 = Constitution
		4 = Intelligence
		5 = Wisdom
		6 = Charisma
4-5	The victim's "to hit" and damage rolls are reduced by 4 points
6	The victim becomes blind, as per the 2nd-level wizard spell blindness. The effect persists for 24 hours or until the witch's curse is dispelled.
7	The victim loses 1 hit point per hour for the next 24 hours. These lost hit points cannot be recovered by normal or magical means until the witch's curse ends in 24 hours or unless the curse is dispelled. If the victim is reduced to 0 hit points or less within 24 hours of receiving the curse, or before the curse is dispelled, he dies.
8	The victim immediately lapses into a state of temporal stasis, as per the 9th-level wizard spell. The effect persists unless the curse is dispelled. Otherwise, at the end of 24 hours, the victim is reduced to 0 hit points and dies.

     Special Hindrances: Because of their non-conventional training, Witches do not earn bonuses to their experience for high ability scores. Witches cannot be multi-classed or dual-classed.

     Generally, outsiders are terrified of Witches. Unless an NPC is exceptionally open-minded or has extremely high Intelligence or Wisdom (13 or more in either ability), the Witch receives a -3 reaction roll. If the NPC is uneducated, comes from an extremely superstitious or unsophisticated culture, or has low Intelligence and Wisdom (under 10 for both), the Witch receives a -5 reaction roll. Additionally, if a Witch lingers in a superstitious or culturally unsophisticated community for more than a day, she runs the risk of facing a mob of hostile citizens bent on running her out of town, imprisoning her, torturing her, or executing her. (The DM decides the size of the mob, their intentions, and the likelihood of their accosting the Witch. As a rule of thumb, assume a 20 percent chance of a 4d6-member mob forming in a hostile community if the Witch stays for a day. This chance increases by 20 percent for every additional day the Witch remains; the size of the mob increases by 2d6 members.)

The Witch must periodically struggle with the extraplanar forces striving to direct her. The forces are so powerful that they cannot be dispelled; all the Witch can do is endure them. When undergoing these internal struggles, the Witch suffers penalties to her combat abilities and saving throws.

The DM has three options for determining the frequency and intensity of these penalties, depending on the needs of his campaign and how much bookkeeping he is willing to undertake:

1. The Witch suffers a -2 penalty to her attack rolls and a -2 penalty to her saving throws on any night with a full moon and the three nights before and after the full moon (the penalties apply to a 12 hour period from about 6 p. m. to 6 a. m. ). On most worlds, a full moon will occur about once per month; if the moon of the DM's world has a shorter or longer cycle, increase or decrease the number of nights the Witch is affected; she should be affected about seven nights out of 4 weeks. If there are several moons, the Witch is affected by only one of them.

2. There is a 25 percent chance per day that the Witch will be subjected to an internal struggle with extraplanar forces. The DM determines this at the beginning of the day; the Witch is aware of the result. Throughout that night (a 12-hour period lasting from about 6 p. m. to 6 a. m. ), the Witch suffers a -2 penalty to her attack rolls and a -2 penalty to her saving throws.

3. The Witch struggles with the extraplanar forces every night. For a 12- hour period lasting from about 6 p. m. to 6 a. m. , she suffers a -1 penalty to her attack throws; there is no penalty to her saving throws.

     Wealth Options: The Witch receives the standard (1d4+1) x 10 gp as starting money.

Races: No racial restrictions.

     Note: The Witch is among the most complex of all the kits, and many of the details are left up to the player's discretion. For instance, he may wish to design specific daily rituals for his Witch, or he may wish to expand on the Witch's relationship with the entities who originally trained her. What exactly are they? Where are they? Can the Witch contact them for favors? What exactly happens if the forces succeed in controlling the Witch? Does her alignment change? Her abilities? Her relationship to the party? There are many possible variations on the Witch kit, and the DM is encouraged to experiment, as long as he avoids the temptation to make her excessively powerful, and keeps in mind the potential disruptions in his campaign.

Table of Contents


Wu Jen (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Wu Jen

Description: The Wu Jen is a wizard from cultures based on medieval oriental civilizations. He is a sorcerer of mysterious power and uncertain fealty. Unlike the oriental samurai, the Wu Jen seldom answers to a lord or master. His primary allegiance is to himself and to his craft.

The Wu Jen seldom lives among the masses, preferring instead to dwell in the wilderness where he can contemplate the secrets of nature without interruption. Living the life of a hermit, the Wu Jen concentrates on purifying his body and mind, thus making him more receptive to the supernatural forces of the world.

To be a Wu Jen, a wizard must have an Intelligence of at least 13. He cannot be of lawful alignment, but may still be good, evil, or neutral. The Wu Jen kit cannot be abandoned.

Preferred Schools: Wu Jen prefer the schools of conjuration/summoning, alteration, and invocation/evocation.

Barred Schools: There are no barred schools for the Wu Jen.

Role: Unless the campaign has an eastern setting, the DM, in conjunction with the player, should invent a plausible explanation for the Wu Jen's appearance so far from home. Perhaps the Wu Jen is on a religious pilgrimage. Perhaps a magical device or spell transported the Wu Jen to the western world, either intentionally or unintentionally. Or perhaps the Wu Jen is on a decade-long quest for knowledge or self-awareness, and his travels have brought him to the other player characters.

Whatever the reason, the Wu Jen should add a touch of oriental intrigue and exotic culture to a western-based party. His fellow player characters should find the Wu Jen's habits strange and fascinating. For instance, a Wu Jen prefers to record his spells on scrolls instead of in spell books. Perhaps he prays to the sun for an hour each day at dawn, or maybe he eats only roots and berries. A Wu Jen keeps his emotions hidden, and his motives are equally difficult to discern. It is unlikely that the Wu Jen shares the party's goals and moral code; if he agrees to join the party, it is probably due to his intellectual curiosity.

The DM is within his rights to forbid Wu Jen from the campaign. Before a player selects this kit, he must check with the DM to make sure that Wu Jen are allowed.

Secondary Skills: Required: Scribe.

Weapon Proficiency: Required (choose one of the following): Blowgun, short bow, dagger, dart, sling. Alternately, the Wu Jen can choose from the selection of oriental weapons listed in Table 9. The Wu Jen has an automatic and permanent +1 bonus to hit whenever using the weapon he has chosen for his Weapon Proficiency.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: Bonus Proficiencies: Etiquette, Artistic Ability (Painting, Calligraphy, or Origami). Recommended: (General) Riding (Land-based), Cooking, Dancing, Singing; (Wizard) Astrology, Herbalism, Spellcraft; (Priest, double slot) Musical Instrument; (Rogue, double slot) Blind-fighting, Gaming, Juggling, Tumbling.

Equipment: The Wu Jen must buy all weapons from the choices listed in the Weapon Proficiency entry above. He may have no more than 10 gp remaining when he has finished purchasing his equipment.

Special Benefits: When a Wu Jen reaches 4th level, he gains the power to summon massive magical energies that allow him to cast any one spell that is three or more levels lower than his level at maximum effect. The spell automatically has maximum range, (if desired), duration, and effect. Thus, a 4th-level Wu Jen can cast a 1st-level spell at maximum effect. A Wu Jen can use this ability once per day.

Special Hindrances: The Wu Jen operates under special taboos that do not affect other characters. Though the taboos may seem trivial or even ridiculous to other characters, the Wu Jen takes them quite seriously-- violating a taboo causes the Wu Jen to lose levels of ability, lose spells, become ill, or even die (the DM decides the exact penalty). A 1st-level Wu Jen has one taboo and gains an additional taboo every five levels thereafter (at 6th level, 11th level, and so on). The DM selects the taboos. Some suggestions follow; the Wu Jen:

•	Can't eat meat or animal products (including milk, eggs, and cheese).

•	Can't sleep within 20 yards of a member of the opposite sex.

•	Can't wear a certain color.

•	Can't carry gold (or other precious metal) on his person.

•	Can't bathe or must bathe frequently.

•	Can't cut his hair or fingernails.

•	Can't intentionally take the life of an insect.

•	Can't drink alcoholic beverages.

•	Can't sit facing the north (or other direction).

•	Can't speak after sunset (except to cast spells).

Wealth Options: The Wu Jen starts with the normal (1d4+1) x 10 gp.

Races: Normally, a Wu Jen must be human. The DM may make exceptions in his campaign, elves and half-elves being the most likely choices.

Note: For more detailed information about the Wu Jen, along with additional spells, weapons, and proficiencies, see Oriental Adventures. The DM may need to make some adjustments to adapt the descriptions and statistics to AD&D® 2nd Edition rules

Table 9: Selected Oriental Weapons for the Wu Jen

		Weight			Speed	Damage
Name	Cost	in lbs.	Size	Type*	Factor	S-M	L
Bo Stick	2cp	4	L	B	3	1-6	1-4
Boku-toh	6cp	3	M	B	4	1-4	1-2
Jitte	10cp	2	S	B	2	1-4	1-2
Shuriken	10cp	1**	S	P	-	1-6	1-4

* B = Bludgeoning weapon, P = Piercing weapon.

** Ten large shurikens weigh a total of 1 pound.

  Description of Weapons

Bo stick: A staff of hard wood that is very difficult to break and is normally 6-7 feet in length.

Boku-toh: A wooden replica of a short sword, usually used for practice since it cannot cut or slash. Used aggressively, it can cause bludgeoning damage.

Jitte: A tapered iron bar with a short hook near the handle. Although the hook is not sharp enough to cut or pierce, the jitte can be used to strike blows.

Shuriken: A small throwing weapon in the shape of a star with needle-like projections. They are thrown by hand and easily concealed in folds of clothing. A large-star shuriken has a fire rate of 3, a short range of 5 yards, a medium range of 10 yards, and a long range of 20 yards.

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Recording Kits on the Character Sheet (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Recording Kits on the Character Sheet

To record a wizard kit on character record sheets, follow these steps:

1. In the space where the character's school is recorded, add the name of his wizard kit.

2. When recording the character's Nonweapon Proficiencies, add the bonus proficiencies the character receives from his wizard kit. Mark the bonus proficiencies with an asterisk to indicate that they are free.

3. Make notes about the character's special benefits and hindrances and other pertinent information in any available space on the sheet

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Modifying the Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Modifying the Kits

The DM is encouraged to modify the kits to more accurately represent the history, cultures, and events of his campaign world.

However, he should not violate the nature of the kit; males should not be allowed to be members of the Amazon kit, nor should Patricians be allowed to be necromancers. Common sense must prevail. However, if there are no oriental or eastern-styled cultures in his world, the DM is free to disallow the Wu Jen kit. Similarly, if a natural disaster wiped out all traces of Amazon society in his world, he can disallow the Amazon kit

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Creating New Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Creating New Kits

Using the kits above as guidelines, many new kits can be created. If the DM has a certain type of wizard that he would like in his world, he should design a Wizard Kit for that personality. To design a Wizard Kit, the DM should consider the following questions about the wizard and his role in the campaign.

Description: What's this wizard like? Is he drawn from a specific literary, mythological, or historical source? Are there any special requirements for a character who wishes to be this type of wizard?

Role: What place does this wizard have in the campaign? How is he regarded by his own culture? By other cultures? Is there a particular attitude or outlook he needs to belong to this Wizard Kit?

What kinds of activities does this wizard tend to perform in a campaign-- is he a bold man of action? A withdrawn scholar? An impulsive show-off? What is his relationship with the other characters-- is he friendly, distanced, wary, impassive?

Preferred and Barred Schools: Are there certain types of specialties that seem especially appropriate to the wizards described in your kit? If so, note them as preferred schools. Are there other specialists that seem particularly inappropriate to your kit? Note them as barred schools.

Secondary Skills: If using the Secondary Skills system, you need to decide if this Wizard Kit requires such a skill. If there isn't a particular secondary skill or skills common to all wizards of this type, then do not require a secondary skill. But if all members of a Wizard Kit share the same skill-- or one of a small number of skills-- then you might require it of all characters who take this kit.

Weapon Proficiencies: Often, certain types of wizards tend to favor certain types of weapons. Others select their weapons from a wide range of choices. If the wizard described in your kit seems to prefer one or two weapons more than others, note this in the kit. Keep in mind, however, that all wizards share certain weapon restrictions-- see Chapter 5.

Nonweapon Proficiencies: As with weapon proficiencies, many wizards tend to have certain skills in common. For instance, it would be hard to imagine a Patrician who wasn't skilled in Etiquette. Therefore, one or two nonweapon proficiency slots can be given free of charge to characters taking this kit. If appropriate, the proficiencies can come from the Priest, Rogue, and Warrior listings. Normally, the cost in slots for non-wizard proficiences would be higher, but this can be ignored when kits are being given free.

Equipment: If a wizard is known for using certain types of equipment, require that such a character have this equipment before the campaign begins. If some but not all wizards of this type use the same equipment, then it needn't be required; instead, simply list it as recommended equipment.

Special Benefits: Although not necessary, most Wizard Kits should have some special benefit. Any kind of benefit is acceptable, but it should relate to the way this wizard operates in fiction, mythology, or similar source material. Possible benefits could include:

•	Bonuses to reaction rolls, particularly from certain categories of people. Bonuses on wizard proficiency uses, especially in specifically defined situations.

•	Bonuses to hit and/or damage, especially against certain categories of enemies, or in special circumstances.

•	Special resistances, such as an immunity or bonus to saving throws against specific magical attacks or types of magic.

•	Special rights in the culture in which the character normally travels (such as immunity from prosecution or free lodging on demand).

Special Hindrances: One or more special hindrances should be imposed which limit the character as much as his special benefits help him. Possible hindrances include:

•	Penalties to reaction rolls, especially from certain categories of people.

•	Penalties to hit and/or damage, particularly against certain categories or enemies, or in special circumstances.

•	Restrictions from learning certain nonweapon proficiencies.

•	Special restrictions in the culture in which the characters normally travel (for instance, the wizard is prohibited from owning property or is punished excessively for certain crimes).

Wealth Options: Does the wizard have less or more starting gold than other characters? Are there any restrictions as to how his starting gold must be spent?

Races: Note any variations for wizards of specific races. Are any races barred from the kit? Does any race receive special benefits, proficiencies, or hindrances when taking this kit?

Notes: If there are any additional details about the kit, explain them fully. You can also adapt kits to other classes by adjusting the skills, weapons, proficiencies, benefits, and hindrances. A campaign might include Academician Priests or Patrician Warriors

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Wizard Kit Creation Sheet (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Wizard Kit Creation Sheet

At the end of this book is a blank Kit Creation Sheet. Copies of this sheet may be made to help you design new kits. The DM or players can design new kits appropriate to the character types they would like to play. However, if a player designs his own kit, he should check all details of the kit with his DM. The DM may make changes, or he may disallow the kit altogether

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Suggestions for New Kits (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Suggestions for New Kits

Here are a few ideas that might be developed into new kits:

Dragon Master (a wizard with a special affinity for dragons and the magic they use)

Outlaw Wizard (a wizard who is rightly or wrongly wanted by the law)

Spiritualist (a wizard with a special interest in ghosts, spirits, and extraplanar phenomena)

Nomad (a rootless wizard with no permanent homeland)

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Chapter 4: Role-Playing (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 4: Role-Playing

Your wizard character now has a specialty, an interesting variety of low-level spells, a nice set of proficiencies, and a kit from the previous chapter.

Ready to adventure? Not quite. There's more to role-playing a wizard than casting spells, checking proficiencies, and swinging a staff at the bad guys. In this chapter, we present suggestions for role-playing techniques that will help your character come to life

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Wizard Personalities (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Wizard Personalities

No two wizards are alike. They may have the same specialties, the same spells, even the same backgrounds, yet each has his own set of quirks, flaws, goals, and interests that make him a unique personality.

This chapter provides descriptions of different wizard personalities drawn from fantasy literature and mythology. Players should look at them all and see if any of the descriptions fit their conceptions of their characters.

Each player should think about what his character would be like if he actually existed-- would he be bold or cautious? Greedy or generous? Considerate or selfish? Thoughtful? Impulsive? Flamboyant?

If any of the personality types listed seem right for your character, feel free to use the description as a basis for making role-playing decisions about a PC's actions and goals. The descriptions can also be used to help decide how a PC interacts with NPCs and with other members of his party. If none of these descriptions seem exactly right for your character, perhaps one or more of them will inspire you to create a new personality type.

Each personality description below includes the following information:

Character Description: This section describes the character's general attitudes, motivations, and outlook, and how he is most likely to function in a typical campaign. In some cases, suggestions are given as to what types of players might find this particular personality type the most enjoyable to play.

Best Suited For: Some personality types are more appropriate for certain alignments than others, and some are more appropriate for certain kits than others. This information is provided here.

These are only recommendations, not hard and fast rules, and using alignments and kits other than the ones suggested might require some imaginative rationale on the part of the DM and the player. For instance, an Entertainer/Savage Wizard could exist, but he will probably be rare in a typical campaign world. Novice players are advised to remain within the alignment and kit recommendations in this section.

In Combat Situations: Each personality type approaches combat situations in a slightly different fashion. Some might charge straight ahead with their weapons swinging, while others might hold back to size up the enemy before committing to a course of action. Some might cast their strongest spells first, others might hold them in reserve. This section details each personality type's combat style.

In Role-Playing Situations: This section explains how the character is likely to react when encountering NPCs. These suggestions should be used as guidelines when role-playing conversations, including interrogations, interviews, and small talk. This section will also give an idea how the character might interact with the other player characters.

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The Altruist (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Altruist

Character Description: The Altruist is a selfless humanitarian, his actions fueled by a passion for justice. The Altruist regards his magical skills as a special gift to be used to promote the common good, and he devotes his life to the welfare of others. He is admired by the oppressed, scorned by oppressors, and respected by all. Because his goals are simple and his values are unambiguous, this personality type is a particularly easy one to play. It is a good choice for characters of beginning players. Experienced players, however, may find him a bit boring, and the DM should be aware that an entire party of Altruists can lead to a lifeless campaign.

Best Suited For: Any kit is appropriate for the Altruist. Obviously, this type of character should be of good alignment, lawful good being the most frequently encountered.

In Combat Situations: The Altruist is a courageous, aggressive combatant. He is as selfless on the battlefield as he is in all other walks of life; if an Altruist has a single protection from evil spell, he will cast it on the most vulnerable member of his party, using it on himself only if he's absolutely certain that all of his companions are safe. He attacks honorably and with mercy, accepting the surrender of his opponents whenever possible. He assumes leadership roles if necessary, though he seldom seeks them.

In Role-Playing Situations: The Altruist is polite, even-tempered, and thoughtful. He has little patience for liars and cheaters, and NPCs who exploit the helpless are especially repugnant to him. Most NPCs, except those of evil alignment, admire and respect the Altruist's strong moral code, but some NPCs may see him as self-righteous and pompous.

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The Brooder (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Brooder

Character Description: The Brooder is tormented with self-doubt; he worries about his relationship with the rest of the universe, where he fits in with the rest of mankind, and the meaning of his own existence. He may dwell for days on the ramifications of some seemingly insignificant action. If he makes a wrong decision or a decision he perceives as being wrong, he may become consumed with self-loathing, spiraling into a deep depression that can persist for weeks. Holding himself to impossibly high standards, the Brooder is continually disappointed with his performance as a wizard, a citizen, and as a human being.

Obsessed with perfection, the Brooder tends to be an extremely skilled spell caster and combatant. His mind is sharp and his actions are precise and correct. Although he usually succeeds at whatever he attempts, his accomplishments seem to bring him little fulfillment or joy.

Not surprisingly, the Brooder's outlook on life is dismal. He believes the struggle between good and evil can never be won; it will continue to claim victims on both sides for all eternity. Friendship is valued but transient; a friend today can be an enemy tomorrow. Acts of courage and selflessness are admirable but ultimately futile. Existence is a tragic joke-- men are only puppets in the hands of incomprehensibly cruel gods.

Because the Brooder seldom voices his opinions, this personality is a good choice for players who tend to be quiet. Conversely, the Brooder is a nice change of pace for players who normally take charge.

Best Suited For: Because the Brooder tends to reject moral absolutes, he gravitates toward neutral alignments, particularly neutral good and chaotic neutral. The Brooder can use any kit, but the Academician, the Mystic, and the Wu Jen are especially good choices.

In Combat Situations: The Brooder is an excellent fighter. Cowardice is unknown to him; since he doesn't believe his own life is particularly precious, he fights as if he has nothing to lose. He is calm and clear-thinking in times of crisis, using his spells to their maximum effectiveness. If necessary, he will unhesitatingly risk his life for a friend.

If the Brooder is preoccupied with a past mistake or a depressing philosophical revelation, he may be slow to join a battle. Likewise, if the Brooder is in a state of mind where the differences between good and evil seem especially ambiguous, he may decline to participate in a fight. Usually the Brooder can be roused to battle by a firm request from the party leader or the gentle urgings from a trusted companion. Even in the depths of despair, the Brooder will not stand idle and allow harm to come to his companions.

In Role-Playing Situations: In most encounters with NPCs, the Brooder will remain quiet and distracted, leaving most of the talking to his companions. He is loathe to offer his opinion, and seldom cares to hear the opinions of others. Most of the time, he is simply apathetic. Most NPCs perceive the Brooder to be emotionless and preoccupied, and keep their distance. Sensitive NPCs might feel sorry for him.

 The Brooder's attitude can be extremely frustrating to his fellow player characters. Since he keeps to himself most of the time, usually his companions will only be able to guess what he's thinking or feeling.

Some PCs may attempt to befriend him. Kindness and patience will eventually break through a Brooder's shell. Although he may not show it, the Brooder feels friendship deeply, and may even share his deepest thoughts with a companion who has been kind and caring

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The Commander (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Commander

Character Description: The Commander is a natural leader who exudes authority. This may be due to his upbringing, his training, his innate tendencies, his birth order (these types tend to be first-born), or any combination of these factors, but whatever the reasons, taking charge comes automatically to the Commander. He is decisive, imposing, and inspiring.

The safety of his companions is of paramount importance to the Commander, and he feels personally responsible for their actions. The Commander is not always the leader of his party-- he understands that a leader cannot function without able followers-- but he always tends to act like one, issuing orders, taking charge, and showing initiative whenever others are slow to act.

Players selecting this type of character should be prepared to make most of the decisions for the group. If a player is uncomfortable with this role, he would do better to choose a different personality type.

Best Suited For: Lawful and neutral are the most appropriate alignments for Commanders. Characters of evil alignment might demonstrate good leadership, but are too self-centered to fit the nature of this personality. Chaotic characters usually lack the necessary discipline needed for leadership.

A Commander can take the Amazon, Anagakok, Militant Wizard, Patrician, Peasant Wizard, Savage Wizard, or Wu Jen kit. Academicians tend to be too analytical and Mystics are too self-absorbed. Most Witches will have difficulty gaining the complete trust of their parties, though Witch Commanders are certainly feasible.

In Combat Situations: A Commander is a master tactician and superb strategist. In combat, his mind is constantly at work, looking for weaknesses in an enemy's defense, weighing attack options, considering the best positions for friendly forces, and deciding when to withdraw and when to press ahead. Even if someone else is actually in charge, the Commander inevitably will be issuing orders and attempting to boost his party's morale.

In Role-Playing Situations: Unless he is outranked or asked to refrain, the Commander will presume to speak for the group in NPC encounters. He will negotiate a group rate for the party at an inn, and speak to the local authorities about recruiting extra men for an anticipated battle. Depending on his manner, NPCs may see the Commander as either arrogant or accommodating, but they will always be impressed with his self-confidence

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The Counselor (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Counselor

Character Description: The Counselor is a learned man of calm self-assurance who typically serves as an advisor to rulers, administrators, military men, and adventurers.

A Counselor is typically older than other adventurers and is usually more experienced, but could also be a younger character with a special talent for understanding human nature or a natural empathy.

A man of integrity and great dignity, he is respected not only for his knowledge, but also his insight into human behavior. He believes in moderation and justice, and has a helping hand and kind word for all.

The Counselor is a good choice for players who like to play thoughtful, even-tempered characters who are more apt to be advisors than leaders. Since novice and low-level characters lack the experience for this personality type, mid-level and high-level characters (especially those with high Wisdom scores) are the best choices to be Counselors.

Best Suited For: Because a Counselor's relationship with others is based on trust, characters of good alignments are best suited for this personality type, especially lawful good characters. Chaotic good characters can function as Counselors as well, although this type of Counselor will be guided more by his own personal philosophies than by any accepted standards of law and moral values. Neutral characters tend to be too selfish; it is unlikely that other characters would turn to them for advice. Evil Counselors are not likely to be accepted in a party whose members are mostly good and/or lawful.

Any kit can be adapted to this personality type. The Academician is a logical choice, but the Mystic and Wu Jen also make good Counselors (the Wu Jen has much eastern wisdom to offer, while the Mystic is eager to share his insights into the human condition).

In Combat Situations: The Counselor is a veteran of many battles, but because he is likely to be of advanced years, he is not the best physical combatant. He most likely will remain in a protected position, probably near the back of the party or in a good vantage point from which to cast spells.

The Counselor is also an excellent negotiator. Whenever possible, he will try to seek common ground with an aggressor in an attempt to avoid combat. The Counselor seldom takes the role of a military leader, but usually functions as the leader's chief advisor and consultant.

In Role-Playing Situations: All but the most mean-spirited and evil-hearted NPCs will respect the Counselor for his wisdom and compassion. The Counselor will never turn his back on a person in trouble, and is forever making the problems of others his own. At the same time, the Counselor is a shrewd judge of character and is usually the first to spot a charlatan or a duplicitous NPC.

In a campaign, the Counselor is everybody's best friend. He always has time to hear his companions' problems, no matter how trivial, and serves as a source of both comfort and sage advice

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The Intimidator (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Intimidator

Character Description: Many believe that the wizard is the most powerful of all mortals-- the Intimidator is convinced of it. Radiating power and confidence, the Intimidator faces all challenges head on. There's no opponent too tough and no obstacle too difficult for him. His access to magic makes him superior to all others-- at least he believes this to be fact. His reaction to common people-- that is, people who cannot cast spells-- ranges from sympathy to impatience, but as long as they acknowledge his superiority, he can tolerate them.

Usually, this amount of confidence evolves over many years, so most Intimidators are mid-level or high-level wizards. But an especially powerful or an especially arrogant lower-level wizard might easily be an Intimidator.

An inflated ego alone is not enough-- this personality type is primarily intended for wizards who are in fact more powerful than their contemporaries. To qualify as an Intimidator, a wizard should have higher than normal scores in at least two abilities other than Intelligence (for instance, a wizard with Strength and Charisma scores of 12 or more would be a good candidate for an Intimidator). However, even if a character lacks exceptional abilities, he might still be an Intimidator if he has a reputation as a no-nonsense aggressor and has the personality to match.

Best Suited For: The Intimidator is suited to any alignment, though characters of neutral and chaotic alignments might make better egomaniacs; neutral good, neutral evil, chaotic good, and chaotic neutral are all appropriate choices.

Any kits that suggest aggressive, grim characters are good for the Intimidator, with the Savage Wizard and the Militant Wizard being obvious choices. More passive types, such as the Mystic and Academician, are less appropriate for the Intimidator.

In Combat Situations: The Intimidator loves nothing more than a good fight. He is a shrewd, dangerous opponent bent on extinguishing every one of his enemies.

Although he does not attack recklessly, the Intimidator prefers to face off with the most formidable opponent on the battlefield. Where some wizards might use fireball to frighten a group of opponents by sailing it over their heads, the Intimidator would scare them by firing it directly at their leader, incinerating him.

In Role-Playing Situations: The Intimidator is accustomed to getting his way. If reason fails, he will threaten, frighten, or otherwise intimidate NPCs to get their cooperation, unless a player character companion intervenes.

The Intimidator is a man of few words. He knows that a snarl or a stare can be a much more effective way to coerce uncooperative NPCs than long speeches or kind words. Needless to say, the Intimidator is not especially adept at delicate negotiations.

In a campaign, all player characters will respect the Intimidator, but he's likely to associate only with player characters he sees as peers, such as high-level warriors and other wizards. The Intimidator will tend to be patronizing and condescending to the rest of the party, treating them as well-meaning children, incompetent bumblers, or outright irritants

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The Mercenary (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Mercenary

Character Description: The Mercenary sees the adventuring life as a means to further his personal wealth. He may accept a job with a party at a set salary or might agree to take a fixed share of any treasure the party finds. Any interest he has in the party's goals are secondary to his pocketbook.

Not all Mercenaries are interested in money. Some may be interested in acquiring souvenirs for their personal collections, while others may wish to hoard magical devices or fatten their spells books. In all cases, however, the Mercenary's first interest is in himself.

A Mercenary is not necessarily a criminal or a thief-- he prides himself in his professionalism and has no shame about his interest in wealth and material possessions. Since his motivations are straightforward, the Mercenary is a good personality type for novice players.

Best Suited For: The Mercenary is best suited for neutral alignments, particularly neutral good and lawful neutral. Lawful good characters are less inclined to exploit others for personal gain, while evil characters are more likely to turn to criminal activities to increase their wealth. This personality type is suitable for any kit.

 	In Combat Situations: The Mercenary is a good, professional combatant. He takes orders well, offers strategic suggestions when asked, and fights valiantly alongside his companions. However, he will not volunteer for dangerous missions, nor will he unnecessarily risk his neck unless he gets extra pay or there's a chance of recovering an especially desirable treasure.

In Role-Playing Situations: The Mercenary tends to let the other player characters do most of the negotiating and interacting with NPCs. He may take a more active role if he suspects an NPC has information about a treasure or about any of his other personal interests. Otherwise, there are no restrictions for the Mercenary-- he can be humorous and personable, introverted and serious, or arrogant and obnoxious, as determined by the player

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The Mystery Man (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Mystery Man

Character Description: The Mystery Man is a genuine enigma. Surrounded in a veil of secrecy, his motivations, his goals, and the details of his background are kept hidden from even his closest companions. He favors dark clothing and speaks only when necessary; his words are often cryptic or vague, suggesting that the Mystery Man knows far more than he chooses to reveal.

No one is certain why the Mystery Man behaves as he does. Perhaps it is due to an oath to an ancestor, or perhaps it is a neurotic compulsion. Whatever the reason, the Mystery Man is clearly determined to operate on his own terms. Consequently, the Mystery Man is a good personality type for players who feel comfortable with offbeat characters.

Best Suited For: The Mystery Man is perfectly suited for neutral alignments, especially neutral good and lawful neutral, but any alignments are possible. The Mystery Man's reason for maintaining his veil of secrecy might suggest an appropriate alignment. For instance, if he has taken an oath to avenge the death of his spouse, he might be lawful good. If his magical aptitude makes him feel like an outcast from society, but he still identifies with order and organization, he might be lawful neutral. If he conceals his identity because he is an escaped criminal, he might be lawful or neutral evil.

Any of the kits can be adapted to the Mystery Man.

In Combat Situations: Typically, the Mystery Man listens impassively to the orders of his leaders, then fights as he chooses. The Mystery Man can be counted on to do the unexpected; as a battle gets underway, he may suddenly vanish, then abruptly appear in the midst of an opposing force. He might use control undead to command undead creatures to lift him to their shoulders and carry him into battle. He might summon shadow for a whispered conversation, dismiss the shadow, then use light to make himself glow while he attacks an opponent.

While his fighting style is eccentric, it is startlingly effective. Opponents are usually baffled by the Mystery Man's tactics or are intimidated by his manner and appearance. For these reasons, the Mystery Man is a first-rate combatant.

In Role-Playing Situations: The very presence of the Mystery Man is enough to make many NPCs uncomfortable. While he usually lets his companions do most of the talking, NPCs often are so intimidated by the Mystery Man that they are quick to cooperate just to get rid of him. Many NPCs of the opposite sex find that the Mystery Man's veil of secrecy makes him intriguing and extremely attractive. While polite and considerate to his companions, the Mystery Man has no interest in socializing with them.

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The Neophyte (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Neophyte

Character Description: The Neophyte is a young, low-level wizard: an inexperienced novice anxious to begin his life as an adventurer and excited about the prospects ahead.

However, the Neophyte's eagerness is more than matched by his naivete. He has seen little of the world outside of his homeland; when encountering new cultures or experiencing new situations, he may be confused and intimidated or curious and impulsive. Since he tends to overestimate his abilities and underestimate dangers, he constantly gets himself into trouble. Still, his cheerful outlook and youthful enthusiasm endear the Neophyte to his companions, and he is a welcome member of any party, even if his friends usually have their hands full looking after him.

Hopefully, the Neophyte will not be naive forever. With experience comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes sophistication. As a campaign progresses, the Neophyte should temper his impulsiveness with caution and his brashness with maturity. Therefore, this personality type is only a temporary one-- at some point, the character will abandon the role of the Neophyte and grow into a different personality. The road from innocence to maturity is a fascinating one, making the Neophyte an excellent choice for novice wizards and beginning role-players.

Best Suited For: The entire range of neutral and good alignments are open to the Neophyte. Characters with evil alignments should be avoided-- they aren't trusting or naive enough to make enjoyable Neophyte characters.

Since all wizards begin their careers as novices, any kit suits the Neophyte, although the serious-minded Wu Jen and Academician are less likely to exhibit the Neophyte's enthusiasm and impulsiveness.

In Combat Situations: The Neophyte has probably experienced little combat in his life, especially the life-threatening variety. Although understandably nervous, he is also determined to do his best and prove to his comrades that he is not just a child who needs to be protected. Unfortunately, this attitude often results in inappropriate and ineffective tactics; the Neophyte is likely to charge his opponents head-on, regardless of their size or strength, or fire missile weapons at anything that moves. He might seem to cast spells at random, sometimes squandering his most powerful magic on relatively defenseless foes. As an inexperienced spell caster, he is not familiar with sophisticated casting techniques; for instance, when faced with a charging wolf pack, he's more likely to use magic missile on a single wolf instead of casting it on a nearby cliff-face to cause an avalanche, thus destroying the entire pack.

Assuming his companions can keep him from accidentally killing himself, the Neophyte gradually learns from experience, becoming a more skillful combatant as he matures. Eager to learn, a Neophyte will make a good student to a more experienced comrade. An older and wiser PC wizard might wish to take a Neophyte under his wing to show him the ways of the world.

In Role-Playing Situations: Generally, the Neophyte does not know how to act around NPCs, particularly those older than him. He might be shy and say nothing, or he might blurt out something inappropriate. Figures of authority intimidate him, smooth-talkers take advantage of him, and attractive members of the opposite sex reduce him to a blathering, stammering idiot.

The Neophyte tends to accept people on face value; he never guesses that a friendly stranger might be picking his pocket. Friendly, personable NPCs will find the Neophyte charming and amusing; impatient, businesslike NPCs will find him exasperating and annoying

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The Obsessive (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Obsessive

Character Description: The Obsessive is motivated by a single, all-consuming goal. This goal might be learning a particular spell, locating a long-lost mentor, acquiring a particular magical item or artifact, or avenging the death of a loved one. The goal might also be completely unrealistic, such as ridding the world of all evil, or filling his spell books with the formulas of every known spell.

The Obsessive focuses on the resolution of his goal to the exclusion of all else. He views his association with an adventuring party as a means to an end; for instance, he might join an adventuring party if he learns that they are journeying to a faraway kingdom where he believes an artifact might be located. The Obsessive cooperates with an adventuring party only to the extent that their goals don't conflict with his.

If his goal is realistic, it is unlikely that a character will remain an Obsessive forever. A player selecting this personality type might want to choose a second personality type for his character once he reaches his goal. This second personality type might also suggest a goal for the Obsessive. For instance, if a character is a Commander at heart, he might become an Obsessive if he is consumed with finding an evil NPC responsible for killing all of his men. When he brings the NPC to justice, the Obsessive reverts to Commander.

Best Suited For: Characters of any alignment can be Obsessives, though certain obsessions are more appropriate for certain alignments. For instance, an Obsessive bent on avenging his daughter's murder probably has a strong sense of justice; he's probably of lawful alignment. A greedy Obsessive who seeks a legendary fortune in gold could be of a neutral alignment, possibly neutral evil.

Any kit can be used for the Obsessive.

In Combat Situations: The Obsessive tends to be a brutal, savage fighter, since he sees opponents as another obstacle between him and his goal; he wants them out of the way as quickly as possible. Negotiation makes him impatient; he would rather blast his adversaries to bits with a fireball than waste time talking. That does not mean that the Obsessive takes unnecessary risks-- after all, he cannot reach his goal if he's dead-- but he is prone to recklessness and can easily endanger his companions if he is not kept in check by a firm leader.

In Role-Playing Situations: In all cases, the Obsessive is more concerned with his personal goal than the goal of the party. He'll question NPCs intently for information about his goal, and if they have nothing to offer, he will seek out other NPCs to interview. If the party leader convinces him that he is operating to the detriment of the party's goals as well as his own, the Obsessive will restrain himself, but this will probably be only temporary.

In a campaign, the Obsessive is self-absorbed and humorless. He will talk incessantly to his companions about his own goal, but his eyes will glaze over when they share their problems or opinions with him. The Obsessive's attitude does nothing to endear him to his companions, but depending on the nature of his goal, they may feel sympathy or compassion for him

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The Showman (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Showman

Character Description: No one enjoys being a wizard more than the Showman. He delights in dazzling friends and foes alike with surprising, dramatic magical effects. Nothing stirs the heart of a Showman more than learning a new magical effect or putting a new twist on an old spell. He sees magic as a fine art, comparable to sculpting, composing, and painting. He has more appreciation for a well-executed cantrip than for a mundanely-cast 9th-level spell.

The Showman casts spells with a flair. He considers both opponents and allies as potential audiences. If a spell requires a short phrase for its verbal component, he'll incorporate the phrase in a song or poem. If a spell requires him to point at a subject, he will use a series of elaborate and dramatic gestures to arrive at pointing his finger. His alteration spells are strikingly imaginative; his illusions are breathtaking works of art. Nothing frustrates a Showman more than having to use a spell in the same way twice, especially if his audience of friends or foes has seen it previously.

The Showman's flamboyance is easily matched by his ego. He wallows in the approval of others; applause is like music to him, a compliment is like food to a starving man. However, even the most casual criticism can send him sulking and an insult can devastate him.

Most often, the Showman is cheerful and upbeat. Most people find him great fun to be around, and no one can argue that his approach to magic is genuinely entertaining. This is a good character type for players who want to introduce more humor and playfulness into a campaign.

Best Suited For: The spontaneity typical of the chaotic alignments makes them good choices for the Showman, but good and evil alignments are appropriate (the good-aligned Showman loves to share his skills with others and bring smiles to their faces; the evil-aligned Showman enjoys frightening and intimidating them). The Showman is not likely to be drawn to the cautious and self-centered neutral alignments.

The Showman is best suited for the Amazon, Peasant Wizard, Witch, and Wu Jen kits. The Academician tends to be too cerebral, the Anagakok and the Militant Wizard too serious, the Savage Wizard too unsophisticated, the Mystic too introspective, and the Patrician too stuffy.

In Combat Situations: The Showman relishes combat, since it gives him a perfect opportunity to show off his spells. Needless to say, the Showman will always go for the most spectacular, dramatic, and dazzling effects-- if he wants to scare away an opponent with phantasmal force, why create a simple ogre or troll when he can create a multi-headed werewolf with purple tentacles and 10-inch golden fangs? Unfortunately, his flair for the dramatic sometimes finds him squandering his higher-levels spells unnecessarily, such as in using lightning bolt when the less-spectacular magic missile would be just as effective.

In Role-Playing Situations: Since the Showman views all new acquaintances as potential audiences, he enjoys meeting people from all walks of life. The Showman is especially fond of members of the opposite sex, and will often go to great lengths to impress and dazzle them, sometimes at the expense of the business at hand. Most NPCs see the Showman as endearing and charming, but some find his attention-getting antics obnoxious.

Among his companions, the Showman is appreciated for his pleasant attitude and positive outlook. He is always able to boost morale with a clever trick or entertaining demonstration. At times, PC leaders might have a problem impressing the Showman with the seriousness of a situation or getting him to focus on an important task, but flattery or indulgence usually get the Showman's cooperation

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Changing Personality Types (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Changing Personality Types

Players are encouraged to alter the above personality types in any way they see fit. Characteristics of one personality can be combined with characteristics of another to create brand new types (Brooding Commanders are possible, as are Obsessive Mystery Men). The DM is also free to modify the personality types and make suggestions to his players. As always, the DM has the right to forbid the players from choosing extreme personalities for their characters; for instance, the DM might decide that Mercenaries are too disruptive to his campaign and suggest an alternative to his players.

Sometimes, a player might wish to change his character's personality. Maybe the character has matured and outgrown his old personality type. Or maybe the character has reached a turning point in his life that has forced him to change his outlook or rethink his philosophy.

Since the personality types are not governed by a strict set of rules, players can change them whenever appropriate. However, such changes should be rare, and typically should mark a major turning point in his life; a player should not change his character's personality just for the sake of trying something new. A personality change should develop naturally out of the events of the campaign, perhaps as a result of a catastrophic event; for instance, an Altruist might become a Brooder because a friend or family member was brutally murdered by a hoard of pillaging orcs.

Following are some ways such changes might occur.

The Altruist may become disillusioned when a formerly trusted companion sells him out or when he realizes that his good intentions are unappreciated by the commoners he has vowed to defend. This Altruist might then become a Brooder. If his altruism turns to cynicism, he might decide to become a Mercenary.

The Brooder may experience an enlightening event that gives him a more positive attitude; for instance, he could earn the admiration of a child or he could fall in love. Since he is sensitive and introspective by nature, a former Brooder could become a Counselor.

The Commander could become fed up with the constant responsibility for the others in his party, or the burden of command could begin to overwhelm him. Depending on his disposition, he could become a Brooder, a Counselor, an Altruist, or even an Intimidator. Regardless of his change (unless he is consumed with bitterness or completely amoral) he'll still have leadership tendencies and likely will find the urge to give orders impossible to resist.

The Counselor isn't likely to change, since his personality type is associated with maturity and experience. He could temporarily become a Commander if no one else was available, but most other personalities are so contrary to his nature that he would find it difficult to change himself.

The Intimidator is not likely to change much, either. Possibly, falling in love or experiencing some other dramatically positive experience could soften him enough to make him consider changing his outlook. In time, a reformed Intimidator could become a Counselor, or he could eventually assume the duties of a Commander.

The Mercenary could easily become an Obsessive if he becomes consumed with acquiring an impossibly large amount of treasure or locating an artifact that does not exist. Exposure to the world's impoverished and neglected might encourage him to change his ways and become an Altruist.

 The Mystery Man could become just about any other personality type (except a Neophyte) once he decides to abandon his veil of secrecy.

The Neophyte will eventually become more mature and lose his youthful naivete. His experiences in the campaign will probably suggest a new personality for him. (Note that it is extremely unlikely that a character will change from his current personality into a Neophyte; that would probably require the character to lose his memory and become young again.)

The Obsessive will not change unless he gives up his obsession, in which case he will likely become a Brooder. If he reaches his goal, he could become nearly any personality type.

The Showman might be forced to assume more responsibility and become a Commander, or he could become disillusioned with constantly trying to win the approval of others and become a Brooder. If he begins charging money for his performances, he might be tempted to become a Mercenary. A Showman bent on developing the ultimate magical effect might risk becoming an Obsessive.

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Ideas for New Personality Types (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Ideas for New Personality Types

The personality types are not confined to the ones suggested above. Here are a few other possibilities:

•	The Sidekick (a trusted companion and assistant to a player character).

•	The Compromiser (a superb negotiator, dedicated to preserving harmony and good relations among his companions).

•	The Coward (a reluctant fighter, frightened of everything and always expecting the worst).

•	The Carefree Wanderer (a happy-go-lucky wayfarer).

•	The Sneak (a wizard who loves to trick people and take advantage of their naivete).

•	The Chronicler (a historian devoted to making a permanent, detailed record of his party's activities)

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Character Background (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Character Background

When a player has selected a personality type for his character, he can individualize him further by making decisions about his appearance, his interests, his family, and other details about his background. This information does not need to be recorded on the character sheet, but the player is certainly allowed to do so. The more a player knows about his character, the more he will seem like a real person and be more fun to play. Here are just a few of the many details to consider.

Name: Some wizards prefer exotic names that add to their reputations as men of mystery. Such a name is sometimes a modification of the wizard's real name, such as "Brindon" for a wizard whose real name is "Benbrindon Swule. " Alternately, a wizard might make up a new name for himself; for instance, Benbrindon Swule might decide to call himself "Antra," an arcane term meaning "Champion of the Dawn. " Many wizards also add an adjective to their names to declare their importance to the world, such as "Brindon the Dark" or "Antra the Magnificent. "

Age: Think about the wizard's age and how it might influence his outlook and attitudes. Older wizards tend to be wiser and slower, while younger wizards are more energetic and impulsive. Wizards frequently have long careers; human wizards can be active well into their 80s and beyond. However, it is unusual for a novice wizard to be younger than 20 or so, since magical training can take many years.

Physical Appearance: What does the wizard look like? How tall is he? How much does he weigh? What color are his hair and eyes? Does he have any interesting birthmarks? Scars? How did he get them?

Mannerisms: Often a wizard has a unique physical quirk, eccentric behavior, or habitual expression that sets him apart from the crowd. Does the wizard rub his chin when he's thinking? Does he always sleep on his back? Does he pick his teeth with his fingernail?

Beliefs: Is the wizard religious? Is his outlook on life generally positive, or is he a pessimist by nature? Is he superstitious? Does he have any phobias?

 	Birthplace and Nationality: The wizard's birthplace reflects his cultural heritage, which in turn influences the way he looks at the world. Is he upper class (or the equivalent)? Middle class? Born in poverty?

 	Family: What were the wizard's parents like? Did they encourage him to be a wizard, or are they ashamed of his avocation? Was the wizard an orphan (and if so, has he learned why he was abandoned)? Does he have brothers and sisters? Is he still close to them? If not, what happened?

 	Birthright: Does the wizard have a special birthright, such as a family heirloom or a share of the family holdings? Does he stand to inherit this birthright when he reaches a certain age or achieves a certain goal?

 	Education: Where did the wizard receive his magical training? Did he attend a prestigious academy? Was he taught by a mentor? Several mentors? Is he on good terms with them, or are they estranged? If so, what happened?

 	Career: Unless the wizard is independently wealthy, depends on the kindness of strangers, or lives like a hermit, he probably has some way to earn a living. In many cases, a wizard's school of specialization will suggest a career; for instance, a diviner could probably earn a good living as a fortune teller. Otherwise, the character can pick any career or vocation that seems reasonable and doesn't contradict his upbringing. (See the following section for suggestions.)

 	Clothing: You can tell a lot about a person by the way he dresses. A wizard favoring dark robes suggests a conservative personality, while a wizard wearing glittering shirts and multi-colored trousers is probably as flamboyant as his clothing.

Likes and Dislikes: Does the wizard have a favorite food? A favorite drink? Does he like music, books, or art? What types? What does he do for fun? Is he a sportsman? A gambler? A collector?

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Wizardly Careers (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Wizardly Careers

 	Owing to their wide range of abilities, the professions available to wizards are almost without limit. Below are a few of the most common careers. Each career includes the names of specialists and kits which are commonly associated with it-- but note that these are general guidelines only, and there are likely to be exceptions in many campaigns.

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Teacher (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Teacher

A wizard opting for a career as a teacher could be either an instructor at a magical academy (full-time or part-time), a professor at a regular college, or a private tutor. The wizard's background might suggest his academic field; history, mathematics, and any of the sciences are likely possiblities.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Patrician, Wu Jen

Suggested Specialties: Invoker, Abjurer, Transmuter, Enchanter

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Administrator (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Administrator

Frequently, the local wizard is one of the most learned men in his geographic area. If he has earned the trust of the citizenry, he may be asked to serve as a government administrator. Wizards are more likely to be administrators of small villages than large cities, since the needs of a small village are not likely to be as demanding, leaving the wizard plenty of free time to pursue his research.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Amazon Sorceress, Militant Wizard, Patrician

Suggested Specialties: Diviner, Abjurer, Transmuter

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Advisor (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Advisor

Noted for their wisdom and insight, wizards are sometimes retained by monarchs as personal advisors. Diviners are especially sought for these positions.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Amazon Sorceress, Mystic

Suggested Specialties: Conjurer, Enchanter, Transmuter, Diviner

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Trader (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Trader

A wizard's quest for hard-to-find components for his spells and his research can take him to cities and villages around the world. A career as a tradesman can be a natural outgrowth of these travels. Wizard traders are most likely to deal in precious gems, potions, and various collector's items. A wizard may also earn a living as a broker in spell components, dealing exclusively with other wizards.

Suggested Kits: Anagakok, Militant Wizard, Peasant Wizard, Savage Wizard

Suggested Specialties: Transmuter, Enchanter, Abjurer

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Physician (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Physician

Although the healing arts are more typically associated with priests, wizards also have been known to work in the field of medicine, thanks to their talents for manufacturing potions of healing and other healthful elixirs. Wealthy noblemen have been known to hire wizards as their personal physicians.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Anagakok, Witch

Suggested Specialists: Enchanter, Abjurer, Necromancer

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Treasure Hunter (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Treasure Hunter

A wizard who spends his days as a member of an adventuring party has ample opportunity to discover treasures and earn rewards. Exceptionally talented wizards may receive a weekly or monthly retainer from an adventuring party in addition to a share of any treasure discovered or rewards earned. Such wizards have no need for formal careers, assuming their services are in demand or the missions they undertake are successful.

Suggested Kits: Amazon Sorceress, Anagakok, Militant Wizard, Savage Wizard

Suggested Specialists: Conjurer, Illusionist, Necromancer, Invoker

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Entertainer (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Entertainer

A wizard with a flair for the dramatic can earn a decent-- if irregular-- living as a professional entertainer. Opportunities include private shows for noblemen, annual celebrations, and street performances after which the wizard passes the hat for donations. Enterprising wizards sometimes rent halls and stage shows, charging admission from entertainment-starved citizens.

Suggested Kits: Peasant Wizard, Witch

Suggested Specialists: Illusionist, Conjurer

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Lecturer (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Lecturer

To earn a living as a lecturer, a wizard must have the engaging personality of an entertainter as well as the knowledge of a scholar. Such a wizard may travel from city to city, giving lectures in his field of expertise at the invitation of academies, royal courts, and private organizations. Lecturers with reputations as compelling speakers sometimes rent halls and charge admission.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Patrician, Mystic

Suggested Specialties: Conjurer, Enchanter, Transmuter, Diviner

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Author (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Author

Experienced wizards sometimes record their research procedures, tips for successful spellcasting, or techniques for magical item creation in detailed manuscripts. Depending on the reputation of the wizard, such tomes can command hefty sums. Rarely are more than a few copies of any such manuscript produced, but each copy may fetch thousands of gold pieces for the author. Some wizards also have made names for themselves as authors of history, mathematics, and philosophy texts.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Patrician, Mystic

Suggested Specialists: Conjurer, Enchanter, Diviner

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Fortune Teller (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Fortune Teller

Diviners can take advantage of their skills by charging for their fortune telling services. While it is common for kings and other noblemen to retain the services of an astrologer, palm reader, or other type of fortune teller, some wizards set up shop on their own, charging a fee to anyone in need of their talents. Unscrupulous wizards have been known to sell their services as fortune tellers to superstitious peasants, even though these wizards may lack any actual ability in this area.

Suggested Kits: Amazon Sorceress, Mystic, Witch, Wu Jen

Suggested Specialists: Enchanter, Diviner, Conjurer

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Alchemist (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Alchemist

Many wizards with a flair for research and laboratory technique become successful alchemists. Most of their work is non-magical in nature, creating fertilizers, perfumes, cough medicines, tooth powders, and food coloring for modest fees. Magical potions, while requiring more skill and effort, are also sold, although few commoners can afford such expensive creations.

Suggested Kits: Academician, Witch, Wu Jen

Suggested Specialists: Transmuter, Invoker, Enchanter, Necromancer

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Wizard Adventures (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Wizard Adventures

Occasionally, the DM might wish to slant some of his campaign's adventures toward his wizard player characters. To do so, he needs to devise a way to bring the wizard characters into the adventure without excluding the other player characters. Following are several suggestions that can be used as springboards for this sort of adventure

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The Novice Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Novice Wizard

A low-level wizard who has just graduated from an academy of magic (or has just ended his apprenticeship with a mentor) is often sent into the world to complete a mission or quest. The mission serves as his final exam; its completion proves to the novice's superiors that he has successfully mastered his magical skills and is ready to take his place as a full-fledged wizard. Failure means that the novice requires additional training.

 There are all types of suitable missions. For instance, the novice's superiors might ask him to journey into an uncharted jungle to retrieve the blossom of a rare flower. They might ask him to explore the ruins of an ancient castle to search for a long-lost spell book, or travel to a small village and drive off a hoard of invading monsters. Since most mentors encourage their apprentice wizards to seek help (it teaches them the importance of cooperation), the wizard might recruit his player character companions to aid him.

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The Outcast Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Outcast Wizard

In many societies, the practice of magic is considered blasphemous. Ordinary citizens shun and despise all wizards, considering them to be disciples of supernatural forces. In extreme cases, those suspected of being wizards are imprisoned or even executed.

A player character wizard may have been operating secretly in such a society, fearing the worst if his true skills were revealed. The wizard would welcome the chance to join a party preparing to embark on any type of adventure, if it were to take him far away from his homeland. Alternately, a party might encounter a wizard who was forced to leave home when his skills were discovered by his countrymen or his family.

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Magic's Good Name (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Magic's Good Name

In a world where magic has a bad reputation, a PC wizard might want to join an adventuring party to prove that magic can be used as a force of good. If the party's mission is successful and the wizard is at least partly responsible, magic might once again be accepted as a respectable and honorable profession.

There are any number of situations incorporating this idea:

•	The PC wizard wants to confront an influential ruler in a distant land who is responsible for spreading propaganda about the inherent evil of magic. The ruler might be an evil wizard, bent on stirring up support from the populace to stamp out rival wizards. He could also be of good alignment, but a bad experience with magic as a youth left him prejudiced against all wizards.

•	The PC wizard wants to learn how many wizards still exist in the world. Perhaps many wizards have gone into hiding, and the PC wizard is determined to find out

      what has happened to them.

•	The PC wizard wants to discover how many young people are interested in learning magical skills. Perhaps the PC wizard wishes to establish a magical academy of his own, or perhaps he wishes to find a young novice with whom he can share his knowledge. Are such students difficult to find?  If so, why?  Will the PC wizard face resistance from the family of a potential student?  From the local authorities?  What must the PC wizard do to prove that his intentions are honorable?

•	The PC wizard wants to verify rumors that a violent feud has erupted between two organizations of wizards in a distant land, thus sullying the reputations of wizards everywhere. The rival wizard groups might be of different alignments, members of oppositional schools, or from different races. Their feud might be over a contested piece of land or a landmark-- such as a tower or cemetery-- or one group might have religious objections to the type of spells used by the other group. Settling their disagreements can be used as a springboard for new adventures.

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Assisting the Citizenry (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Assisting the Citizenry

Many wizards serve as administrators, advisors, or teachers, or hold other positions of responsibility in their communities. The local citizens are likely to barrage such wizards with a constant stream of requests for favors and assistance. Most of these requests will be trivial and easily addressed, but others might require the PC wizard to recruit the help of his player character companions.

Sometimes, a seemingly innocuous request ("Something's been into my crops-- I think it's a bunch of kids. Could you stop them?") might lead the PC wizard to believe that more is happening than meets the eye. He might summon his companions to help him investigate, and their discoveries could be the beginning of a long campaign. (The party discovers clawed footprints among the damaged crops. The footprints lead to a nearby forest, then abruptly vanish. What's going on?).

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The Scholarly Quest (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Scholarly Quest

A wizard player character engaged in magical research might require a particular component that exists only in a hard-to-reach part of the world. If the journey promises to be dangerous, the wizard might ask his friends to accompany him. Alternately, if a PC wizard encounters a party going in the same direction, he might agree to assist them on their mission in exchange for safe passage to the location of his sought component. After recovering the component, the wizard might have become close enough to the other PCs to voluntarily continue on their mission with them. Or maybe the other PCs got the wizard out of a tough spot and the wizard feels obligated to return the favor by completing the mission with them.

The party's mission might coincide with something the wizard PC wants. For instance, the party might be embarking on a mission to stop a notorious evil wizard. The evil wizard might possess a magical device the PC wizard has coveted for a long time. The PC wizard could agree to help the party in exchange for the magical device.

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Out of Retirement (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Out of Retirement

An elderly wizard might grow weary of his sedentary existence and welcome any opportunity to add some excitement to his life. Such a wizard would eagerly join any party of player characters if the party's mission promised to be exciting and didn't violate the wizard's personal values (a PC wizard of good alignment is unlikely to join an evil party about to embark on a murder spree unless he is pretending to be evil in order to stop them).

Since a party can always use an extra wizard, a group of player characters might coax an old PC wizard out of retirement to help them on a mission. The PC wizard might be enticed by a monetary reward, the lure of adventure, or the possibility of settling an old debt (perhaps the party believes they will be facing an old nemesis of the PC wizard). The PC wizard also might agree to help them out of a sense of loyalty to his former companions

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Magic in the Campaign World (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Magic in the Campaign World

Whether designing a campaign or establishing the parameters of a single adventure, the DM will find it helpful to understand the prevalence of magic in his world. Is magic relatively common-- are wizards encountered as frequently as any other character type-- or is magic extremely rare, with practitioners relegated to rumors and legend?  Deciding how much magic exists involves not just the number of wizards and magical items, but also the prevalence of spells, magical monsters, and magical effects in general.

Here are a few of the questions the DM should consider when deciding how magic fits into his world:

 	How common are wizards? The frequency with which wizards are encountered gives a good indication of how often a party is likely to encounter magical items and spell books. Obviously, if magic is uncommon, magical items are especially valuable.

How available are academies and mentors? A world with little magic provides would-be wizards with few opportunities to learn their crafts. Advancement through the various levels of skill is likely to be slow. Certain specialties may not be available at all. Conversely, a world where magic is relatively common should have a variety of specialists of all levels among its population.

How are wizards accepted among the general population? Are wizards feared or respected? Revered or despised? A predominance of magic does not guarantee that the general population feels comfortable with wizards; though familiarity can foster acceptance, it can also breed prejudice and resentment.

Is there a relationship between magic and political power? Wizards usually wield more power than any other group in a society. Have the wizards used their power for political gain? Are they commonly found as rulers and administrators? Does the general population reject the idea of wizard rulers (wizards are too strange or too frightening) or do they embrace it (wizards are smart and deserve to run the government)?

How integrated are wizards in the rest of society? Do wizards live openly, or must they keep their abilities secret? Are wizards able to walk down the street unmolested, or do they invariably draw a crowd of curious on-lookers or hostile townsmen who regard them as a threat? Do they live in a special area of town, or can they make their homes anywhere they wish? Do they associate only with other wizards, do they mingle freely with people from all walks of life, or do they prefer a solitary existence?

There are no fixed rules for the amount of magic available in a campaign world, as long as the DM strives for consistency and balance. Following are some general guidelines for several different types of campaigns.

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Worlds With Excessive Amounts of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Worlds With Excessive Amounts of Magic

In worlds where magic is relatively common, the non-wizard is sometimes the outsider. Wizards are the most frequently encountered character class and typically hold all positions of power. Wizards of good alignments consider themselves caretakers of the non-wizard population; wizards of evil alignments see the non-wizards as an exploitable resource.

Kingdoms controlled by evil wizards often clash with one another. They also frequently wage war on kingdoms controlled by good wizards. The awesome power wielded in these conflicts can easily devastate the entire world. (Think of such conflicts as the wizardly equivalent of nuclear war.)

Mentors and academies of magic are common, as are wizards of all schools and levels. Novices tend to rise quickly in ability, and high-level wizards are in abundance. Magical items and magical monsters abound. There may be a large number of priests as well, since they are also magic-users, but an abundance of wizards does not guarantee that a world has an abundance of priests. (Priests get their magical abilities from the gods, who may be as generous or as stingy with their gifts as the DM wants.)

Worlds where magic is prevalent are invariably populated by a large number of powerful characters. The DM will probably have his hands full trying to maintain play balance, devising challenging adventures for his player characters, and prevent non-wizard player characters from feeling overwhelmed or insignificant. For these reasons, it is suggested that only experienced DMs attempt to stage adventures in a magic-heavy campaign world. Creating a world where magic is taken for granted can be difficult, but for DMs and players up to the challenge, it can be a fascinating alternative

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Worlds With Typical Amounts of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Worlds With Typical Amounts of Magic

"Typical" in this sense means the amount of magic present within the limits of an average AD&D® campaign world. In such worlds, magic is known to exist, but real wizards are regarded with awe and perhaps a little suspicion. Average people may be baffled by magic and others may be afraid of it, but all are impressed by its power.

Wizards are uncommon, especially those of higher levels. Novices wishing to master a particular school of magic may have to work hard to find a suitable mentor or academy. In some areas of the world, certain specialists may not even exist. Spell books, magical items, and magical monsters are relatively rare; finding one will probably be a major event in the life of any character.

To avoid violating the unique nature of magic in this type of world, the DM must be careful to set limits on the availability of magical items, spell books, and magical effects in general. He also may wish to limit the number of magic-users by deciding whether PCs can be multi-class or dual class characters with wizard or priest spells. In a campaign where such restrictions are in force, evil wizards will not need to be quite as powerful to be effective against a typical party. Without such restrictions, there are likely to be more magic-users in a party, meaning that evil wizards will need to be of higher levels to be effective opponents.

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Worlds With Low Amounts of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Worlds With Low Amounts of Magic

Not surprisingly, wizards are rare commodities in worlds where little magic exists. Most people have never seen a real wizard. In some of these societies, wizards are confined to myths and legend. A player character wizard will likely be restricted to low levels, and advancement will be difficult. In fact, it may be impossible for a wizard to reach higher levels of ability-- such spells may simply not exist. Magical items are extremely rare, if they exist at all. Magical monsters are equally rare, but those encountered are especially formidable, wielding powers unheard of by a typical adventuring party.

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Worlds With No Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Worlds With No Magic

By means of a portal, a magical device or artifact, or divine intervention, an adventuring party might find themselves on a world where magic does not exist. Alternately, a player character may find himself transported from a world where magic is common to a world with no magic. Aside from the PC wizards in the party, such a world has no wizards at all. There are also no magical items, spell books, magical monsters, or magical effects of any kind. Such a world will have a number of interesting ramifications for wizard characters, as well as for the party as a whole.

•	There is no way to recharge rods and other magical items.

•	There is no way for a wizard to learn new spells.

•	Magical research is impossible.

•	Magical potions no longer exist (aside from those the characters brought with them).

How would such a world react to a wizard? As an analogy, imagine how people of our world would react to the news that an actual wizard walked the planet. Some would beseech him for favors, while others would seek to exploit him. Some would see him as a hero, while others would see him as a physical manifestation of their religious beliefs. Governments might attempt to recruit him as a weapon against enemies. Scholars might seek to study him. Unsophisticated people, fearful of his power, might try to capture or kill him.

Obviously, a world without magic is radically different from the typical AD&D® campaign world, but it can be a refreshing change for the DM and a stimulating challenge for players with wizard PCs. There are many interesting themes to explore in this type of campaign world, but the action is also likely to be more subdued without magical monsters and evil wizards for opponents.

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Campaign Variations (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Campaign Variations

Following are a few off-beat suggestions for using wizards and magic in a campaign. The DM is free to modify, combine, and vary these suggestions as he sees fit

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The All-Wizard Campaign (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The All-Wizard Campaign

In this type of campaign, most of the player characters are wizards. Other classes are allowed, but they are usually restricted to one character from each class. (That is, a party can have no more than one warrior, one priest, and one rogue-- the rest are wizards.)

To begin this type of campaign, the DM can encourage players to take PC wizards by fostering an atmosphere where NPCs have a special admiration for wizards or where magic is an especially revered field of study. Alternately, the DM can simply require the players to use wizard characters. 	All wizard kits are allowed in this type of campaign, as are multi-class and dual-class characters as long as one of the class choices is wizard. The DM is forewarned that he will have to be especially creative to invent adversaries of sufficient power to provide acceptable challenges for a party of wizards.

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The Single Wizard Kit Campaign (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Single Wizard Kit Campaign

The DM might decide that all magic in his world stems from a particular culture; therefore, all wizards must have the same kit. This includes player character wizards and well as NPC wizards of all alignments. Among the kits especially appropriate for this type of campaign are the Amazon, the Anagakok, and the Wu Jen. If the DM wishes, player characters of all classes might be required to take the same kit, but this is not necessary for an interesting campaign.

How this type of campaign affects the existence of magical items and magical monsters is the decision of the DM, but there are likely to be fewer of both (see Worlds With Low Amounts of Magic in the Magic in the Campaign World section above). In a campaign where all magic comes from an Amazon culture, all magical items will have their origin in that culture. Dragons, for instance, may exist throughout the world, but all of them trace a common ancestry to a land dominated by Amazons.

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The Restricted School Campaign (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Restricted School Campaign

In this type of campaign, certain schools of magic do not exist. For instance, in a world where the school of illusion does not exist, wizards do not have access to phantasmal force, minor creation, or any other illusion spells, nor are they allowed to specialize as illusionists. Researching these types of spells is also forbidden. If a spell belongs to two schools, then the spell is still available if it belongs to a school that still exists. For instance, in a world where the school of illusion does not exist, rainbow pattern is available since it also belongs to the school of alteration.

Whether magical items that duplicate the effects of non-existent schools are available is the DM's decision, but for consistency, it makes sense to forbid them. Another good idea is to give wizards access to the spells from the school of lesser divination-- it is very difficult to function as a wizard without them.

As another variation, the DM might consider having more than one non-existent school in his campaign world. (Schools in direct opposition to one another, as shown in Figure 1 in Chapter 2, are good choices to eliminate. For instance, if the school of illusion is nonexistent, then the school of necromancy might not exist either).  In an especially restrictive world, perhaps only one school of magic exists; if only the school of illusion exists in the DM's world, then all wizards must be illusionists and have access only to illusion spells-- spells from any other school do not exist.

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The Restricted Level Campaign (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Restricted Level Campaign

Similar to the Restricted School Campaign, in this variation, high-level magic does not exist. For instance, the DM might decide that no spells of 6th level or higher exist. Therefore, a wizard has access to spells of 1st level through 5th level only, and he is unable to research higher-level spells. As with the Restricted School Campaign, the DM decides whether magical devices duplicating the effects of higher-level spells exist.

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Chapter 5: Combat and the Wizard (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 5: Combat and the Wizard

This chapter tells the wizard how to make the most of his magical abilities in combat. It also includes some tips for effective strategy and planning, along with advice on weapon selection.

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The Spell Arsenal (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Spell Arsenal

The Wizard's Advantages

In combat, there are two important advantages a wizard has over the non-magicusing members of his party:

1. The wizard is an extremely versatile opponent; high-level wizards are likely to be the most versatile characters in an adventuring party.

2. While the abilities of most other characters tend to confine them to specific roles, the wizard can adapt his skills to new situations by selecting the appropriate spells from his spell books (assuming that the wizard has access to a variety of spells). For instance, a high-level warrior has the same skills today that he did yesterday.

But a high-level wizard begins each day anew, memorizing a selection of spells from his spell books that may be radically different from those he memorized the day before. With the right spells, a wizard can be a master of reconnaissance one day and an engineer of destruction the next. But if a wizard has a large selection of spells in his spell books, how does he know which ones will be most helpful on any particular day? Some wizards, of course, will simply load up with their most powerful spells and hope for the best. But a shrewd wizard will look closely at his spells and analyze their primary functions to decide which are the most appropriate to a particular situation.

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Spell Categories (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Categories

A helpful way for a wizard to analyze his arsenal is by assigning his spells to various categories. The following system uses six categories based on a spell's use in combat situations. The categories include:

Defensive 1. This category of spells provides protection from harm. It includes spells that make the subject more difficult to hit, increase his resistance to damage, and shield him from various types of opponents. Usually, a wizard casts this type of spell on himself or on his allies.

Defensive 2. This category of spells hinders an opponent's ability to attack without directly causing damage to the opponent. It includes various charm, hold, and blinding spells, along with spells that add penalties to an opponent's attack rolls. Usually, a wizard casts this type of spell directly on one or more of his opponents.

Offensive 1. This category of spells increases the chance to inflict damage on an opponent. It includes spells that give bonuses to attack and damage rolls, as well as those that increase strength. It does not include spells that directly inflict damage. Usually, a wizard casts this type of spell on himself or his allies.

Offensive 2. This category of spells directly inflicts damage on opponents. It includes spells that cause an opponent to lose hit points, such as chill touch and lightning bolt, spells that cause creatures to lose levels of ability, such as energy drain, and spells that cause damage to specific creatures, such as transmute water to dust. Usually, a wizard casts this type of spell on one or more of his opponents, although exceptions include spells that create or summon entities to fight on the caster's behalf, such as monster summoning.

Reconnaissance. This category reveals information about opponents or provides warnings about their actions.

Special. This catch-all category includes spells that have no specific offensive, defensive, or reconnaissance use in combat.

How do you decide which spells belong to which categories? It is not an exact science, but rather a generalization based on a spell's most common use in combat situations. For instance, fireball can be used to destroy inanimate objects, but in combat situations, it is usually used to inflict damage on an opponent; therefore, it is an Offensive spell -- Offensive 2, to be exact. Light is helpful for finding the way in a dark cavern, but in combat, it can be used to blind opponents to reduce their attack rolls, making it a Defensive spell-- more precisely, a Defensive 2 spell. (For quick reference, it may be helpful to note each spell's category next to its name on the character sheet.)

If a spell seems to fit into more than one category, that is to be expected. Remember, the point is not to draw rigid boundaries, but to learn to think in terms of a spell's function as opposed to its level or flashy name. As an illustration, here are categorizations of some 1st- and 2nd-level spells from the Player's Handbook.

 	Defensive 1: Protection from evil, armor, shield, mirror image, invisibilty, blur

 	Defensive 2: Color spray, enlarge, light, grease, shocking grasp, taunt, wall of fog, deafness

 	Offensive 1: Spectral hand, strength

 	Offensive 2: Burning hands, shocking grasp, chill touch, flaming sphere, stinking cloud

 	Reconnaissance: Alarm, comprehend languages, message, detect undead, ESP

Special: Dancing lights, erase, hold portal, jump, mending, spider climb, wizard mark

The various categories are discussed in detail in the following sections. Players should use the information to help them assign their spells to categories, which in turn will enable them to choose the best spells for their wizards to memorize in a particular situation

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Defensive Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Defensive Spells

Defensive spells provide protection from specific or general types of attacks in the following ways:

•	By acting as a shield or barrier (protection from normal missiles)

•	By decreasing an opponent's attack capability (slow)

•	By giving temporary immunity (stoneskin)

•	By removing the subject from a dangerous situation (teleport)

•	By sending away the opponent (dismissal)

•	By reducing the amount of damage suffered (armor)

The school of abjuration offers the greatest variety of Defensive spells, but Defensive spells are also available in every other school. Some particularly effective Defensive spells are offered in the schools of alteration (gaze reflection and wraithform), enchantment/charm (sleep and hold person), and illusion (hypnotic pattern and mislead).

Spells in the Defensive 1 category are typically cast on the wizard or on his companions to provide direct protection from attacks; globe of invulnerability, invisibility, and protection from evil are examples of Defensive 1 spells. Spells in the Defensive 2 category are typically cast on one or more opponents to hinder their ability to attack or prevent them from attacking altogether; fumble, ray of enfeeblement, and binding are examples of Defensive 2 spells.

In general, Defensive 2 spells offer more protection than Defensive 1 spells, since they effectively protect the entire party. For instance, a wizard protecting himself with the Defensive 1 globe of invulnerability spell may be safe from an attacking opponent, but the opponent is free to attack the wizard's companions. However, an opponent affected by the Defensive 2 sleep spell cannot attack anybody in the party.

Following are some general situations in which a wizard will find Defensive spells particularly useful:

The party has only a few members or has only low-level members. The wizard's inability to use armor is his most vulnerable characteristic. A wizard must either count on his companions for protection or provide it for himself. In small parties, there probably are not enough members to provide bodyguards for the wizard. A small party will also have their hands full in combat situations, and probably will not have the time or the resources to look after a wizard. Likewise, a party of low-level characters lacking high-quality armor or other protective devices may have to depend on their wizard to provide protection for them.

The party has taken an excessive amount of damage. A party that has lost a lot of hit points is not in a position to take chances, especially if they anticipate trouble. A wizard armed with Defensive spells can help the party through any tough times ahead.

 	The party includes other player character wizards who lack Defensive spells. If the party does not know what type of dangers it may face, a good idea is to have as many different types of spells available as possible. It is helpful if the wizard arms himself with a healthy supply of Defensive spells if his fellow magic-using companions do not have them or choose not to use them.

 	The wizard anticipates being alone. If the wizard expects to be alone on guard duty or investigating a dangerous locale by himself, operating as a spy, or otherwise functioning without the company of others, he is safest with a supply of Defensive spells to compensate for his lack of armor.

 	The party anticipates encountering a specific type of enemy. Many Defensive spells offer protection against a specific type of attack. If the party believes it will be encountering a particular type of opponent, the wizard should arm himself accordingly. (For instance, if the party anticipates encountering an evil wizard, Defensive spells such as dispel magic and Serten's spell immunity would be wise choices.)

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Offensive Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Offensive Spells

Offensive spells increase the ability of the caster (or persons of the caster's choice) to inflict damage, or directly inflict damage on opponents in the following ways:

•	By attacking specific targets (magic missile)

•	By attacking all opponents within a designated area (cloudkill)

•	By summoning surrogates capable of attacking (monster summoning)

Schools offering a variety of Offensive spells include conjuration/summoning (flame arrow and Evard's black tentacles,) invocation/evocation (fireball and death fog), and necromancy (spectral hand and death spell.

Spells in the Offensive 1 category are typically cast on either the wizard or on his companions to increase their ability to attack or inflict damage; strength, spectral hand, and enchanted weapon are examples of Offensive 1 spells.

Spells in the Offensive 2 category are typically cast on one or more opponents to inflict damage directly, effectively functioning as weapons for the wizard; flaming sphere, shocking grasp, and finger of death are examples of Offensive 2 spells.

In general, Offensive 2 spells are more effective than Offensive 1 spells, since they inflict damage directly. For instance, a wizard successfully casting an Offensive 1 strength spell on himself must still strike an opponent to inflict damage; a successfully cast fireball inflicts damage immediately. Following are some general situations in which a wizard will find Offensive spells particularly useful:

The party is large or has a number of high-level members. Again, the main consideration is the vulnerability of the armor-less wizard. In larger parties, there are likely to be enough members to supply the wizard with a bodyguard or two (note that this does not mean a bodyguard in the literal sense, but rather a designated member to help protect the wizard from attacks). Likewise, if the party has several high-level members with a lot of hit points and high-quality armor, they will not be as dependent on the wizard for protective spells. A wizard who does not need a lot of Defensive spells is free to arm himself with a high number of Offensive spells.

 	The party has few warriors. While unusual, it is not impossible for a party to be completely composed of wizards, priests, and rogues. In such a case, a wizard with an arsenal of Offensive spells can make an acceptable substitute for a warrior. But note that even the best-armed wizard must still contend with a low Armor Class, meaning he will still need to rely on one or more of his companions for protection.

 	The party is making its last stand. When a party is facing its final challenge at the climax of an adventure (presuming the party realizes they have reached the climax of an adventure) or is making a life-and-death stand against an opponent of awesome power, they may need all of the offensive capabilities they can muster. If the wizard genuinely feels he has nothing to lose (or if the wizard is willing to sacrifice his life to achieve the party's goals), he may wish to arm himself with as many Offensive spells as possible to maximize his party's chance of success.

 	The party anticipates facing an onslaught of enemies. A party may also need heavy offensive capabilities if they anticipate facing a large number of enemies (such as a battlefield filled with hundreds of orcs and goblins) or a few enemies with a lot of power (such as a cadre of giants). Again, unless the wizard is willing to lay down his life for the cause, the party should take the wizard's vulnerability into account when planning their strategy.

 	The party includes other player character wizards who lack Offensive spells. This principle applies to the use of Offensive spells as well as Defensive spells. If the first wizard in a party has nothing but Defensive spells, and the second wizard has a variety of both Offensive and Defensive spells, it makes sense for the second wizard to arm himself with Offensive spells (unless one of the situations described above suggests a different strategy).

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Reconnaissance Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Reconnaissance Spells

Reconnaissance spells neither inflict damage nor provide protection, but they serve a vital function in combat by furnishing crucial information in the following ways:

•	By revealing the presence of enemies (detect evil)

•	By revealing enemy motivations (ESP)

•	By revealing enemy actions (clairvoyance)

•	By revealing future events (foresight)

•	By revealing past events (legend lore)

•	By employing supernatural guidance (vision)

Obviously, most Reconnaissance spells come from the school of greater divination, but other schools have them as well, including abjuration (alarm), alteration (comprehend languages and wizard eye), and illusion (magic mirror). Following are some general situations in which a wizard will find Reconnaissance spells particularly useful:

The party is entering an unknown area. The more a party knows about the potential dangers of a previously unexplored castle, jungle, or stretch of enemy-occupied terrain, the better they can cope with whatever they meet. A quick survey of the territory by a wizard using clairvoyance, detect evil, or similar spells can be an effective deterrent against ambushes and other unexpected surprises.

The party is unsure of the enemy's motivations. Not all NPCs are enemies (maybe they are hostile because they assume the PCs are the bad guys), and not all enemies are bent on destroying the party (maybe they are trying to get back to their leader as quickly as possible and the PCs are in their way). A wizard using ESP, know alignment, or similar spells can clarify the motives of NPCs, possibly allowing the party to avoid combat entirely.

The party needs a lookout or a volunteer for guard duty. A wizard armed with spells such as clairaudience, clairvoyance, foresight, and wizard eye makes an excellent lookout. He can also serve as a party's communications officer in combat, keeping track of his companion's actions, tracking the actions of the enemy, and becoming alerted to companions in need of assistance.

The party needs a spy. The wizard who knows a variety of Reconnaissance spells makes a perfect spy, either acting by himself (in which case he should ensure that his chances of being discovered are small, since he has no armor) or in conjunction with a companion who can serve as his bodyguard. Unlike rogues or invisible characters, who are also good candidates for spying missions, a wizard using clairaudience, ESP, and similar spells can gain a lot of information from relatively safe distances.

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Special Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Special Spells

Special spells are those that have limited use in combat. They do not offer protection, inflict damage, or reveal information. Such spells assist the party in these ways:

•	By making repairs (mending)

•	By labelling personal possessions (wizard mark)

•	By changing appearances (alter self and fool's gold)

•	By creating various illusionary effects (illusionary wall and minor creation)

Though nearly all schools have their share of Special spells, the school of illusion has a surplus of them, which is one reason why the illusionist is considered by many to be the least useful specialist in combat.

This does not mean that Special spells are completely useless on the battlefield. As with all types of magic, clever wizards will invariably find a variety of uses for Special spells. For instance, the Special spell dancing lights does not cause blindness or inflict damage, but cast at the right time, it could be used to distract an opponent, rendering him momentarily unable to attack. In general, however, Special spells are the worst choices for a wizard anticipating combat.

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A Mix of Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
A Mix of Spells

In the examples above, we suggested a number of situations where it is to the wizard's best advantage to arm himself with an arsenal of spells from a particular category. In some situations, however, a wizard might be better arming himself with a few spells from each category. Here are a few examples:

The party is beginning a new adventure. When embarking on a new adventure or a new episode of an ongoing campaign, it is unlikely that the party will know exactly what obstacles or dangers they will face. In these cases, a wizard armed with a mix of Defensive, Offensive, Reconnaissance, and Special spells will be able to handle a variety of situations. As the adventure progresses and the party accumulates more information, the wizard can adjust his spell mix accordingly, perhaps concentrating on Defensive or Reconnaissance spells as the situation dictates.

The party has only a single wizard. In this case, the party might have to rely on the wizard to assume a variety of roles-- for instance, he may be expected to provide magical protection for the party (requiring Defensive spells) as well as ferreting out information about its opponents (requiring Reconnaissance spells). Of course, the more duties a wizard assumes, the less effective he can be at any one of them, but sometimes such a situation is unavoidable. The party has a large number of powerful characters in a variety of classes. The more power a party has at its disposal, and the more that power is dispersed among a large number of characters, the less dependent they will be on any one party member. In this case, a wizard's arsenal of spells is not as crucial. If the party has a number of strong warriors for offensive and defensive actions (as well as an extra warrior or two to serve as bodyguards for the wizard), has some rogues for spies, and has a magical scrying device, it is not vital for a wizard to concentrate exclusively on Defensive, Offensive, or Reconnaissance spells.

The wizard has no choice. If the wizard is just beginning his career, he probably does not have a lot of spells in his spell books. Likewise, if he has only Defensive spells in his spell book, he obviously cannot choose from the various categories.

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Weapon Restriction (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Weapon Restriction

Wizards are severely limited in the weapons they can use. Little if any of their formal training is devoted to combat, and they usually are unable to devote the time and effort necessary to master such skills. Consequently, their weapon choices are confined to those that are easy to learn and simple to use. As a general rule, the DM should confine wizards to the following weapons:

Blowgun

Barbed dart

Needle

Dagger or dirk

Dart

Knife

Quarterstaff

Sling

Sling bullet

Sling stone

Staff sling

These restrictions apply to magical weapons of similar types as well. For instance, just as a wizard is denied the use of a two-handed sword, he is denied the use of a two-handed sword +1.

In certain situations, the DM may allow a wizard to use a weapon other than those listed above. However, the DM is cautioned to make exceptions to the wizard's weapon restrictions with care, to avoid unbalancing the game and violating the special nature of the wizard.

Here are a few situations where the DM might consider making exceptions to the wizard's weapon restrictions:

The wizard's kit allows for different weapons. The Anagakok kit, for instance, allows for tridents and harpoons, while the Amazon kit allows for spears and long bows. If the DM gives permission for players to pick one of these kits, or another kit with weapons other than those listed above, he should also allow him to use the kit's weapons. However, the DM is within his rights to forbid the use of any weapon-- if he decides harpoons are unavailable in his campaign world, then even an Anagakok cannot use them.

Instruction in the use of a particular weapon was part of the wizard's training. Just as certain kits allow certain weapons, certain cultures might require all of its citizens to master certain weapons. A warlike culture, for instance, might insist that all of its male citizens are to be trained in the use of swords and spears, and wizards are not excluded. The player must establish these type of background details at the beginning of his character's career -- they cannot suddenly be brought into play in the middle of a campaign ("Did I forget to mention that my character's father trained him to use a club?"). As always, the DM can veto any background suggestions that he considers unacceptable in his campaign.

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Chapter 6: Casting Spells In Unusual Conditions (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 6: Casting Spells In Unusual Conditions

A wizard's adventures can take him to all kinds of exotic locations. But if he finds himself battling foes beneath the ocean's surface or exploring a mysterious locale in an alternate plane of existence, he will discover that his spells are operating a little differently than usual. This chapter explains the differences.

Spell casting abilities can also be affected by sensory changes, such as a temporary loss of vision, an impaired ability to speak, and impaired movement. These problems, as well as how a wizard's spells are affected when cast under less than optimum conditions and how he might compensate for these differences, will be discussed in this chapter.

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Casting Spells Underwater (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Casting Spells Underwater

Assuming that the wizard can find a way to breathe underwater for extended periods (such as a water breathing spell or potion), most of his spells will function normally underwater, with identical casting times, ranges, components, and effects. There are, however, a number of exceptions, detailed below. Rather than being frustrated by these changes, the wise wizard will study them carefully and use them to his advantage

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Spells That Are Ineffective Underwater (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spells That Are Ineffective Underwater

The following spells cannot be cast or will not function underwater. All spells are from the Player's Handbook except those labeled NS (for New Spell) which are found in Chapter 8 of this book. Spells marked with an asterisk ( * ) will function normally when cast within the bounds of an airy water spell.

1st Level

affect normal fires*

burning hands*

jump*

mount

wall of fog*

2nd Level

flaming sphere*

fog cloud *

pyrotechnics*

summon swarm

whispering wind*

3rd Level

 	fireball

flame arrow*

gust of wind

illusionary script*

Melf's minute meteors

wind wall

4th Level

 	fire aura (NS)

fire charm

fire shield * (only the flame shield version of this spell is forbidden; the chill shield version functions normally)

fire trap

shout *

solid fog *

wall of fire

wind breath (NS)

5th Level

cloudkill *

distance distortion

6th Level

 	control weather

death fog *

guards and wards *

lower water

7th Level

delayed blast fireball

8th Level

incendiary cloud

9th Level

 	meteor swarm

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Spells That Are Modified When Cast Underwater (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spells That Are Modified When Cast Underwater

The following spells are altered as described when cast underwater. All spells are from the Player's Handbook, except those labeled NS (for New Spell) which are found in Chapter 8 of this book

1st Level

Chromatic Orb (NS): The heat, fire, and stinking cloud effects are unavailable underwater.

2nd Level

Filter (NS): Instead of filtering vapors, filter eliminates poisons in the water.

 	Ice Knife (NS): Because of water resistance, an ice knife cast underwater can strike targets only within 10 yards. It causes a maximum of 1-4 hit points of damage.

Melf's Acid Arrow: The acid from this arrow lasts only a single round before it is washed away by surrounding water.

3rd Level

Fly: This spell enables the subject to swim effortlessly at any depth and in any direction, even if the subject is encumbered or is normally too heavy to float. The maximum speed is 9.

Lightning Bolt: Instead of a stroke, the electrical discharge takes the form of a sphere with a 20-yard radius, centering on the point where a stroke would have occurred if the spell had been cast above water. All those within the sphere suffer 1d6 hit points of damage per level of the caster; the maximum damage is 10-60 (10d6) hit points. A successful saving throw reduces this damage to half (round fractions down).

Monster Summoning I: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

Phantom Steed: A phantom steed created underwater is a hippocampi with a black forebody and silver-gray scales. These steeds do not gain the special traveling or flying abilities of the regular phantom steeds, but they do gain the movement rate of 4 per level of the spell caster (to a maximum movement rate of 48). Otherwise, they are similar to the steed created by the spell.

4th Level

Ice Storm: The hail stones created by this spell will be as large as normal, but their downward force is greatly reduced, inflicting only 1-10 hit points of damage before floating toward the surface. The sleet variation of this spell is useless underwater, since all of the sleet melts as soon as it is created.

 	Monster Summoning II: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

 	Wall of Ice: A wall of ice can be formed underwater, but it immediately floats to the surface and bobs in the water like an ice floe. This renders the ice plane and hemisphere variations useless. The ice sheet variation of this spell inflicts no damage underwater.

5th Level

Conjure Elemental: Air elementals and fire elementals cannot be conjured underwater. Earth elementals must remain on the floor of the sea, lake, or river from which they are conjured. While unable to leave the floor, they can still attack creatures or assault constructions that are resting on or are imbedded in the floor. Water elementals can be conjured normally.

 	Monster Summoning III: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

 	Transmute Rock to Mud: This spell operates underwater as it does elsewhere, except that the mud immediately begins to dissipate. If cast on the ocean floor (or the floor of any other body of water), only extremely heavy creatures who are unable to swim are in any danger of sinking into the mud.

6th Level

Chain Lightning: Underwater, this acts as a lightning bolt of twice the normal size (either a forked bolt up to 20 feet wide and 80 feet long, or a single bolt 10 feet wide and 160 feet long. However, it strikes only a single object and inflicts only 1d6 hp of damage for every level of the caster (save vs. spells for half damage). It will not arc to other targets.

Conjure Animals: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be conjured.

Monster Summoning IV: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

Otluke's Freezing Sphere: The frigid globe variation of this spell can be extremely dangerous to the caster when cast underwater. The globe of absolute zero matter will instantly freeze the water around the caster into a block of ice of a volume equal to 50 cubic feet per level of the caster. The entombed wizard will immediately float to the surface. Unless he receives assistance or is able to free himself, he will immediately begin to suffocate.

Part Water: This spell can be used to form a "tunnel" through water-filled areas, no wider than 10 feet in diameter. The "tunnel" contains air, enabling creatures inside it to breathe normally.

Transmute Water to Dust: Casting this spell underwater causes a "hole" to open in a previously water-filled area. The size of the "hole" is up to 10 cubic feet per level of the caster. Assuming there is sufficient surrounding water-- that is, if the spell was not cast on or near the surface of the water-- the unaffected water will rush in, inflicting 1 hit point of damage per level of the caster to all within (no saving throw).

7th Level

Monster Summoning V: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion: At the caster's option, the mansion can be filled with water, or the influx of water can be prevented, keeping the mansion's interior tidy and dry.

8th Level

Monster Summoning VI: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium. )

Sink: This spell places the subject a specified number of feet beneath the floor of the lake, ocean, or sea. The magic of the containment will radiate through the water to the surface.

9th Level

Monster Summoning VII: Only creatures that can breathe and function underwater can be summoned. (If available, the DM should use the appropriate Aquatic Monster Summoning table in the Monstrous Compendium.)

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Casting Spells in Other Planes (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Casting Spells in Other Planes

As described on page 132 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, the AD&D® game world consists of many planes of existence aside from the familiar Prime Material plane. Just as physical laws operate differently in these planes, so do the effects of magic and the ways in which spells are cast. General guidelines for using wizardly magic in the various planes are given below. (If planning a campaign in one or more of the other planes of existence, or if a DM is interested in additional information about the planes, consult the Manual of the Planes.)

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The Ethereal Planes (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Ethereal Planes

From the wizard's perspective, the key features of the Ethereal planes include the following:

•	The effects of time occur 10 times slower than on the Prime Material plane. For instance, for every 10 turns that pass on the Ethereal planes, only a single turn has passed. Therefore, the subjective time for the wizard to memorize and cast spells is 10 times as long as the actual time required.

•	The thick soup of ethereal matter restricts clear vision to about 100 yards.

•	Because of the semi-solid nature of the ethereal matter, spells that create restraining effects, such as web and wall of stone, are easily circumvented by the victim-- he must only move the ethereal matter out of the way. Restraining spells that inflict damage, such as wall of fire, are equally easy to circumvent, but still cause harm to the victim.

The schools of magic are affected as follows:

 	Abjuration: Spells of 5th level and above will not function.

Alteration: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the Ethereal planes.

Conjuration/Summoning: Entities from the Prime Material, Astral, and outer planes cannot be summoned. Leomund's secret chest places the conjured chest in a location in the Ethereal plane different from that of the caster.

Divination: These spells function only if the wizard is in the area between the Prime Material plane and the Ethereal planes (called the Border Ethereal) and is casting the spells into one of the adjacent planes. For instance, detect magic will not work in the Ethereal plane, but it functions normally if cast from the Border Ethereal into the Ethereal planes. Contact other plane, however, functions everywhere in the Ethereal planes.

Enchantment/Charm: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the Ethereal planes.

Invocation/Evocation: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the Ethereal planes, except that materials created by evocation spells are made of ethereal matter and have the properties of that matter. Bigby's forceful hand, for instance, will not stop an opponent.

Illusion/Phantasm: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the Ethereal planes. However, illusionary images and items do not disappear at the end of the spell's duration, or when the wizard stops concentrating, or when the illusion is touched. Instead, the images and items gradually fade away. Invisibility, change self, and fear are not subject to fading and function normally.

Necromancy: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the Ethereal planes.

•	Magical Items: Pluses on weapons are reduced by one to attack and damage rolls (a sword +2 effectively becomes a sword +1 ). Armor and protective devices are likewise reduced by one plus. Magical items that duplicate specific types of spells operate under the same restrictions as described above.

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The Inner Planes (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Inner Planes

From the Wizard's perpective, the key features of the Inner planes include the following:

•	Spells that rely on elemental forces can be modified to affect all other elemental types, though each modification must be researched separately.  For instance, a spell that affects water can be used to similarly affect earth or fire, so that a wall of water may appear or create air can be cast.  To determine if a modified spell can be cast, the wizard must roll against his Intelligence as if learning a new spell.  If the roll fails, the wizard cannot make another attempt for one full day (as measured on the Prime Material plane).  These modified spells can be used only in the inner planes.

•	Modified spells apply only when modifying one elemental spell to another.  Positive and negative energies are not eligible.  For instance, a wizard cannot create a wall of negative energy.

•	In the plane of Fire, all material created by spells (such as water and ice) is immeadiately affected by the extreme heat.  For instance, the ice created by ice storm immediately melts.

•	In the plane of Water, spells are affected as described in the Casting Spells Underwater section above.

•	In the Energy planes, matter created by spells is destroyed one round affect its creation.  Spells that inflict variable amounts of damage in the plane of Positive Energy, and minimum damage in the plane of Negative Energy.  Spells that inflict damage over a period of several rounds function for only one round.

The schools of magic are affected as follows:

Abjuration: All spells of this school function normally, subject to the special laws of the inner planes, except where noted in the spell description. Spells affecting extra-dimensional creatures do not affect creatures native to the inner planes. When the anti-magic shell is used in the inner planes, all magical protections are removed from within that sphere, removing any protection the user may have to survive in that plane.

Alteration: These spells are the most likely to be modified as described above. A lower water spell, for instance, can be modified to lower fire in the plane of Fire, and airy water could be modified to airy fire. Here are a few special cases:

•	Transmute rock to mud can function as transform element to para-element; earth becomes ooze or magma, fire becomes magma or smoke, air becomes smoke or ice, and water becomes ice or ooze. Each type of transmutation must be researched separately.

•	Transmute water to dust can be modified to transform element to negative quasi-element; elemental water becomes ash, air becomes vacuum, fire becomes ash, and earth becomes dust.

•	Astral spell will not work in the inner planes.

Conjuration/Summoning: Usually, spells summoning a particular type of elemental creature summon that being only in its native plane. These spells do not guarantee control over the summoned elemental, but the elemental is not immediately hostile to the caster. Spells summoning animals, monsters, or other Prime Material creatures instead summon the elemental versions of these creatures. Elemental creatures have the same appearance and abilities as their Prime Material counterparts, but are elementals of that type found in that inner plane (except that the Positive and Negative planes have no elemental types).

Spells that contact beings in the Astral and outer planes do not function in the inner planes.

Divination: These spells function normally. Those that call on an entity function only if that entity is native to the inner planes or Ethereal planes.

Enchantment/Charm: These spells function normally. Hold person and charm spells work only against humanoid elementals.

Illusion/Phantasm: These spells function normally.

Invocation/Evocation: Usually, invocation spells function only if the entity's domain is in the same plane as the wizard. Evocation spells dealing with elemental forces can be modified to call upon any elemental force. These include spells that create items of fire, lightning, ice (but not cold), winds, clouds, fog, and flames. For instance, a fireball can be modified into a lightning ball or earth ball, and lightning bolt can be modified into fire bolt or air bolt; in all cases, the range and damage remain the same. Note that spells such as cone of cold and wall of iron cannot be modified, since they have no actual elemental basis.

Necromancy: Beneficial necromantic spells restore hit points, abilities, levels, or life. Harmful necromantic spells deprive victims of these quantities. Beneficial necromantic spells will not function in the Negative plane, while harmful spells automatically succeed and inflict maximum damage. Beneficial spells restore the minimum number of hp in the negative quasi-planes, and those spells that require a saving throw or are based upon Constitution automatically fail; harmful spells automatically succeed and inflict maximum damage. Beneficial spells automatically succeed and operate to their maximum ability in the positive quasi-planes; harmful spells inflict minimum damage and saving throws of 2 or greater automatically succeed against these spells. Beneficial spells in the Positive Material plane automatically succeed and operate to their maximum ability; harmful spells automatically fail.

Magical Items: Weapon pluses are reduced by two to attack and damage rolls (a sword +3 effectively becomes a sword +1 ). Exceptions include those with pluses against particular elemental creatures and those that draw their power from elemental planes, such as energy draining swords. Armor and protective devices are likewise reduced by two pluses. Magical items that duplicate specific types of spells operate under the same restrictions as described above

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The Astral Plane (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Astral Plane

From the wizard's perspective, the key features of the Astral plane include the following:

•	Items or matter created by spells are affected by the plane's weightless environment. For instance, water forms into circular balls; when touched, these liquid balls flow over the victim in a light film. Liquids that inflict damage, such as acid, inflict twice their normal damage, and victims covered in liquid film cannot speak without letting the liquid into their lungs and drowning in 1-4 rounds. Victims covered in liquid cannot use spells with verbal components (unless they are affected by water breathing or a similar spell or device that allows them to breathe underwater). The liquid can be removed by extensive toweling, entering a plane where gravity exists, or spinning the victim fast enough so that the liquid is flung from his body.

•	Fires burn in circular flames without consuming their fuel sources. Wall of stone and other wall spells, along with other spells that create surfaces, generate hollow spheres with radii of 10 feet plus 2 1/2 feet per level of the caster, regardless of the listed area of effect. Temperature is poorly conducted in the Astral plane, so spells generating heat and cold do not affect those outside the spell area.

•	A wizard cannot move or dodge while casting spells; if already moving, he must continue moving with the same speed and in the same direction as the previous round in order to cast the spell.

•	Spells that require access to the Ethereal or inner planes will not function.

The schools of magic are affected as follows:

Abjuration: These spells work normally, except that they cannot affect the fabric of the Astral plane itself; the plane cannot be dispelled or held back. Dispel magic affects astrally projected travelers by casting them back to their original bodies; it has no effect if cast against the plane or against silver cords.

Alteration: Alteration spells that contact the Ethereal and inner planes or make use of extradimensional space will not work, such as vanish and rope trick.

Objects animated by alteration spells have an Intelligence of 0 for movement purposes, but they can attack creatures adjacent to them. Spells that modify movement function only in situations where that movement is permitted in the Astral plane. For instance, fly only works in balls of air, jump only works if the subject can push against solid objects, and slow and haste affect only muscular movement (likewise affecting combat) but have no affect on mental concentration movement. Alteration spells that control or modify conditions operate only if the conditions already exist; wizards cannot call these conditions into existence.

Conjuration/Summoning: Conjuration/Summoning spells of 5th level or higher do not function unless linked with abjuration magic (for instance, a spell belongs to both the conjuration and abjuration schools). Summoning cantrips will not operate, but conjuration cantrips will. Spells that call for the direct intervention of an entity will not work unless the entity is a native of the Astral plane.

Enchantment/Charm: Spells cannot call into being creatures from other planes. Spells that manipulate or call into being extradimensional space in the Astral plane do not function, such as deeppockets.

Divination: Because of the inherent magic of the Astral plane, detect magic causes the entire plane to radiate magic; there is only a 5% chance for detecting a specific magic radiation against this background. Spells such as true seeing and devices such as the gem of seeing reveal the fully infinite nature of the Astral plane, an experience that can overwhelm the viewer. The chance of being overwhelmed is 100% minus 5% per level of the viewer. Those overwhelmed are immobilized for the duration of the spell or for 1-6 true turns if viewing through a device.

Illusion/Phantasm: Illusionary spells and phantasm spells with an illusionary component function normally, but phantasm spells without an illusionary component will not function. For instance, phantom steed will not work because the spell has no illusionary component, but phantasmal force can be cast, since it has an illusionary component.

Invocation/Evocation: These spells function normally, except as modified by the physical laws of the Astral plane (see the explanation of the effects of a weightless environment above). The spells created by the archmage Bigby function differently when cast against creatures that are moving by mental concentration (those moving physically-- such as by pushing off objects-- are affected normally).

•	Interposing hand: Those of lesser Intelligence than the caster are stopped, others are slowed in movement by 50%.

•	Forceful hand: If the caster has a higher Intelligence than the affected creature, the caster controls the speed and direction of the creature. Equal or greater Intelligences result in no movement.

•	Grasping hand: This operates the same as the interposing hand if the caster's Intelligence is equal or less than that of the victim, but it repels the victim as a double strength forceful hand if the caster has higher Intelligence.

•	Clenched fist and crushing hand function normally.

Necromancy: These spells function normally. However, a clone created on the Astral plane requires 1,000 years to grow for every day it would take to grow on the Prime Material plane. Therefore, if a clone needed two months to grow on the Prime Material plane, the same clone would require 60,000 years to grow on the Astral plane.

Magical Items: Weapons are reduced by one plus to their attack and damage rolls (a sword +2 effectively becomes a sword +1). Exceptions include those with pluses against astral creatures. Armor and protective devices are likewise reduced by one plus. Magical items that duplicate specific types of spells operate under the same restrictions as described above.

Normal potions in normal vials have the viscosity of syrup and tend to cling to the sides of the vials; such potions require 1-4 rounds to consume with a 5% chance that the drinker chokes (no damage, but the drinker loses the effects of the potion). Drinking potions from wineskins or soft flasks avoids this difficulty and allows normal consumption.

Magical items that tap into extradimensional space or the Ethereal or inner planes do not function in the Astral plane, nor do items that call upon powers from those planes.

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The Outer Planes (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Outer Planes

From the wizard's perspective, the key features of the outer planes include the following:

•	Spells that require access to powers and creatures in the inner planes and Prime Material planes do not function (unless otherwise noted below).

•	Cantrips will not function.

•	Creatures and phenomena native to the outer planes are unaffected by Prime Material planar spells that summon, communicate, control, or prevent entry. Comparable spells exist for each plane, but they must be learned by the wizard in that plane; animal growth for animals of Elysium is an example. These are not considered modifications of existing spells, but different spells altogether.

The schools of magic are affected as follows:

Abjuration: These spells are useless against beings native to the plane the wizard is in (for instance, protection from evil has no effect on the evil occupants of the Nine Hells). However, dispel magic disrupts spells cast by creatures native to the outer planes.

Alteration: The Chaos planes (Happy Hunting Grounds to Tarterus, inclusive) have a random effect on alteration spells that create matter (such as fog cloud) or change matter into other shapes (the various polymorph spells). The chance of a random effect depends on the plane (see Table 10).

Table 10: Chance of Random Effects of Alteration Spells in Outer Planes

Plane	Chance of Random Effect
Happy Hunting Grounds	20%
Tarterus	20%
Olympus	40%
Abyss	40%
Gladsheim	60%
Pandemonium	60%
Limbo	80%

Created matter subject to a random effect has its appearance altered; for instance, a fog cloud might be blue in color or sparkle like diamonds. The change does not affect the properties of the matter. The DM determines the nature of the change.

The random effect for a spell that alters the shape of matter is that the spell may not function at all, or that it may function in an unintended matter. Roll 1d100 on Table 11 if such a random effect is indicated.

Table 11: Random Effects of Altered Shapes in the Outer Planes

d100 Roll	Effect
1-10	Target does not change in appearance or properties.
11-30	Target changes in appearance (as determined by DM), but retains all the properties of the original.
31-50	Target does not change in appearance, but gains the properties of the new form.
51-70	Target changes to resemble some nearby random object or creature, but retains the abilities of its original form.
71-90	Target changes to resemble some nearby random object or creature, and gains the abilities of that object or creature.
91-00	Target changes in form and function into something not in the immediate area. (DMs are encouraged to be fiendish.)

Conjuration/Summoning: Non-native beings cannot be summoned unless they are in adjacent planes or planar layers. Creatures native to the plane can be called upon, but they are not controlled by the wizard; any tasks given such creatures must be negotiated. Protective spells that are effective in the Prime Material plane do not function against native creatures.

Find familiar will bring an imp, quasit, brownie, or pseudo-dragon. The DM is free to add other suitable candidates or to modify the appearance (but not the abilities) of these familiars.

Enchantment/Charm: Spells directed toward specific creatures (such as charm person) will not function against their outer planar equivalents. Planes other than the one occupied by the wizard cannot be accessed, though extradimensional space can be (so spells such as deeppockets function normally, but spells such as shadow walk will not). Magic jar or any similar spell that leaves the caster's original body unoccupied creates the risk of that body being occupied by a native of the other planes (see the Necromancy entry below for details).

Divination: Spells that detect or identify mainly respond to the alignment of the plane, overwhelming the alignment of any beings in the plane. For instance, if a good warrior is in the Nine Hells, know alignment is overwhelmed by the plane's evil nature and will not reveal that the warrior is good. However, a detect good will reveal the warrior's goodness.

Illusion/Phantasm: These spells function normally, though the caster should keep in mind that many of the powerful beings inhabiting these planes are immune to illusionary attacks and effects. However, spells that rely on demi-shadow magic and shadow magic function at half strength and half effects. Shadow monsters, for instance, creates creatures with half the standard hit points that inflict half the standard damage when attacking; shadow magic inflicts only half damage and effects.

Invocation/Evocation: These function normally, although they may be changed due to prevailing conditions in a particular plane. Generally, these changes are similar to those experienced in the inner planes. For instance, a wall of ice will begin to melt immediately in the heat of the Nine Hells.

Necromancy: These spells have no effect on the natives of the planes. Reincarnation causes revived individuals to be of the same alignment as the plane; for instance, a PC reincarnated in the Nine Hells will be evil. Spells that involve a body uninhabited by a spirit, such as magic jar, have a 1 percent chance per day per depth of layer of being inhabited by native spirits. For instance, a character who died on the eighth layer of the Nine Hells has an 8 percent chance per day of his body being occupied unless it is raised, while a body on the 100th level of the Abyss has a 100 percent chance of being occupied on the first day). The spirits will not voluntarily release the body (a limited wish or spells of similar power will dispel them).

Magical Items: Weapons are reduced by one plus for each plane they are taken through; this applies only when moving from plane to plane, not when moving through planar layers. If a weapon becomes non-magical, all special abilities are lost. These penalties do not apply to weapons designed to affect particular creatures of the outer planes. Armor and other protective devices are similarly affected. All other magical items suffer the same limitations as the spells they mimic. Magical items that reach into extradimensional space function normally, but those that draw power from the inner planes or access the Ethereal planes do not function.

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Casting Spells When the Caster is Impaired (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Casting Spells When the Caster is Impaired

Impaired Vision

A wizard's vision can be permanently or temporarily impaired as a result of blindness (magical or natural), disease, poison, or physical damage. Vision is also impaired in darkness.

The ability to see is not crucial in the casting of many spells. For instance, mirror image, monster summoning, tongues, and comprehend languages (when used to translate spoken words) do not require the wizard to be looking at anything in particular, and can therefore be cast with impaired vision. However, spells such as read magic, detect invisibility, and comprehend languages (when used to translate written words) that require the wizard to be looking at a particular object or location cannot be cast with impaired vision.

Impaired vision has no effect on spells the wizard casts on himself, such as change self or armor. Likewise, impaired vision has no effect when the wizard is attempting a touch spell (such as protection from evil) on a willing subject, presuming the wizard is close enough to the subject to touch him. However, if a wizard attempts to use a touch spell on an unwilling subject, the wizard must make a successful attack roll with a -4 penalty (this assumes that the wizard is close enough to his intended subject to touch him). As with all attacks, the DM can modify this roll if the victim is unprepared for the attack or is unaware of it. If the roll succeeds, the wizard touches the subject and the normal spell effect occurs.

Spells that are cast on a specific person, place, or thing from a distance, such as charm person or magic missile, cannot be cast by wizards with impaired vision. A wizard cannot simply blast a magic missile in a general direction and hope for the best-- the spell does not operate that way. Knowing the exact destination of these types of spells is a vital element of their execution.

Spells that are cast over a general area can be cast by wizards with impaired vision, although their effects may not be as precise as they would be if the wizard could see. For instance, a wizard with impaired vision could cast flaming sphere in front of himself and direct it to move straight ahead toward an area where he hears a group of screeching goblins. But if the goblins scatter at the approach of the flaming sphere, the wizard will not be able to accurately direct its movement to run them down.

This limitation also holds true for illusion spells that create illusionary images, such as phantasmal force; at best, the illusionist is making a rough estimate as to the location of his illusion, and any adjustments he makes to the illusion (such as moving it or having it respond to the actions of other characters) is unlikely to be more than an educated guess.

Additionally, the vision-impaired wizard is creating visual illusions from memory, and the results might not always be as precise as they would be if the wizard could see. In general, the more complex the illusion cast by a vision-impaired wizard, the more easily the illusion will be disbelieved by an opponent; the DM is free to add as much as a +4 bonus to the saving throws of opponents attempting to disbelieve such illusions (see pages 81-82 of the Player's Handbook for details on adjudicating illusions, and the section on illusions in Chapter 7 of this book).

Vision-impaired wizards can use their familiars for information about their surroundings, thus enabling them to cast spells with more accuracy and precision. Wizard eye and similar spells can help a vision-impaired wizard to "see." Infravision is not always useful in these situations, since it works to enhance the wizard's natural vision (although infravision helps if the wizard's vision is impaired because of darkness, and not because of disease or damage). The non-weapon proficiency Blind Fighting is equally ineffective for the vision-impaired wizard.

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Impaired Hearing (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Impaired Hearing

A wizard's hearing can be permanently or temporarily impaired as a result of deafness (magical or natural), disease, poison, or physical damage (such as repeated exposure to loud noises). Unlike the vision-impaired wizard, the hearing-impaired wizard has only modest limitations on his spell casting abilities.

Although most spells have a verbal component, it is not necessary for the wizard to clearly hear the words or sounds he utters to cast a spell. These sounds serve to release magical energies which in turn trigger specific reactions; as long as the wizard utters the correct sequence of sounds, it makes no difference if he actually hears the sounds himself. Note that a silence spell prevents the casting of any spells with verbal components, since silence prevents the sounds uttered by the wizard.

Spells that require the wizard to hear, such as comprehend languages (when used to translate speech), are ineffective for hearing-impaired wizards. Spells that create sounds, such as alarm, are able to be cast, but the impaired wizard will not hear the effects.

Hearing-impaired wizards casting illusions with audible elements may encounter the same problems as vision-impaired wizards. The audible elements of such illusions will have to be educated guesses, based on the wizard's memory of actual sounds. As with illusions cast by sight-impaired wizards, the more complex the illusion cast by a hearing-impaired wizard, the more easily the audible element of the illusion will be disbelieved by an opponent. The DM is free to add as much as a +4 bonus to the saving throws of opponents attempting to disbelieve such illusions. A hearing-impaired wizard cannot use his familiar to serve as surrogate "ears" to enable him to cast such spells with more precision or accuracy

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Impaired Speech (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Impaired Speech

A wizard's ability to speak can be impaired as a result of disease, magic (such as a silence spell), or physical damage. A gagged wizard will also be unable to speak. No spell with a verbal component can be cast by a wizard with impaired speech; he must be able to enunciate each phrase or sound of a spell's verbal component clearly and distinctly for the spell to be successful. Ventriloquism cannot substitute for an impaired-speech wizard's voice when he attempts to speak a spell's verbal component; ventriloquism is useless to a speech-impaired wizard, since it is an extension of sounds the wizard is normally able to make.

Similarly, an impaired-speech wizard cannot use his familiar to speak verbal components, including those familiars capable of speech, since spells only operate if the wizard himself utters their verbal components.

However, an impaired-speech wizard can use the spell vocalize to allow him to cast spells that normally require a verbal component. Casting these spells must take place within the duration of the vocalize spell. (For more about vocalize, see Chapter 9. ) According to the Player's Handbook (Nicholes 85-86), the use of components is an optional rule. If components aren't used for spell casting in your campaign, it is assumed that the caster must be able to speak in order to cast any spell (see the first paragraph in the Casting Spells section on page 85 of the PH ). Vocalize can still help a speech-impaired wizard if the components rules are not in use; otherwise, all of the rules for speech-impaired wizards apply.

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Impaired Movement (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Impaired Movement

Many spells require somatic components (gestures or movements). If the wizard is unable to move his hands (because of damage, a magical effect, or physical restraint) he may be unable to cast a spell that requires hand movements. If a spell specifically requires hand movements, the wizard isn't allowed to substitute another method. He cannot just wiggle his ears or rock his head in place of the required hand movements, nor can he use a familiar or other character (or animated object) to act as his surrogate to execute them. If a single finger is the requirement for a somatic component (for instance, if the wizard needs to point at the target of his spell), then he needs only one free hand to cast the spell; otherwise, either hand (or any finger) will suffice.

Note that a movement-impaired wizard also might have difficulty with spells requiring material components. If the wizard has his hands tied, he may not be able to reach the necessary material components inside his back pack or mingled with other items in a deep pocket in his robe. Even if he manages to fish them out, certain spells may require him to manipulate the material components in a certain way (he might be required to rub the components together or hold them flat in his hand; protection from evil requires the caster to trace a three-foot-diameter circle on the ground with powdered silver). If he cannot manipulate the material components as required, the spell will not work. When a wizard acquires a new spell, the DM should clarify its casting procedures.

Remember that the use of components is an optional rule. If components are not used for spell casting in your campaign, assume that the caster must have both arms free in order to cast any spell (see the Casting Spells section on page 85 of the PH ). Any combination of hand movements and gestures will suffice.

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Impaired Concentration (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Impaired Concentration

The successful casting of a spell requires intense, uninterrupted concentration from the caster. If the caster's concentration is interrupted by an attack, a sudden noise, or any other distraction, the spell is lost.

In certain situations, the caster may have trouble focusing or sustaining his concentration. He may be suffering from an extreme headache or other illness. He may be dizzy, fatigued, or otherwise disoriented. Or he may have had a little too much wine and is feeling the after-effects. In such cases, the DM can rule that the wizard is unable to cast spells as effectively as he normally would. In extreme cases-- for instance, if the wizard's headache is so severe that he is unable to stand or open his eyes-- the DM might rule that the wizard is completely unable to cast spells until his condition improves.

In less extreme cases, the DM can require the wizard to make a successful Intelligence Check before attempting to cast any spell to see if he can muster the necessary degree of concentration. After the wizard announces which spell he will attempt to cast, the player rolls 1d20.  If the result is less than or equal to the wizard's Intelligence, the spell is cast normally. If the result is greater than the wizard's Intelligence, the spell is lost.

The DM might wish to add a penalty or bonus to these Intelligence Checks. For instance, if the wizard is disoriented as a result of falling out of a tree and landing on his head, the DM might require a -2 modifier to his Intelligence Checks prior to casting his spells.

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Chapter 7: Advanced Procedures (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 7: Advanced Procedures

This chapter offers a variety of suggestions for experienced wizards to help them make more of their magical skills. Included are suggestions for spell research, advice on adjudicating illusions, and some creative casting techniques for putting new twists on old spells

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Levels Above 20th (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Levels Above 20th

The Player's Handbook lists experience levels and spell progressions only for wizards up to 20th level, but there is no rule that specifically restricts wizards from advancing to 21st level and beyond. There are, however, practical reasons for restricting advancement into unusually high levels. Not only is it difficult for the DM to design meaningful challenges for these characters, players quickly become bored with characters whose powers and abilities rival those of the gods. A good policy is to enforce mandatory retirement of characters once they reach 20th level; pages 20-21 of the Dungeon Master's Guide explain how this is done.

Ambitious DMs and curious players are free to explore the campaign possibilities of the upper levels if they so desire. Table 12 gives the experience point requirements and Hit Dice for wizards of levels 21 through 32 (this table is an extension of Table 20 on page 30 of the Player's Handbook). A wizard must earn 365,000 experience points per level to achieve each level beyond 32. After 10th level, wizards earn 1 hit point per level, and they no longer gain additional hit point bonuses for high Constitution scores.

Table 13 gives the spell progression for wizards of levels 21 through 32 (this table is an extension of Table 21 of the PH ). For 33rd level, add one each 5th-, 6th-, and 7th-level spell; for 34th level, add one each 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-level spell; for 35th level, add one each 8th- and 9th-level spell; and for levels beyond 36th, repeat this progression.

Table 12: Wizard Experience Levels Beyond 20th

Level	Mage/Specialist	Hit Dice (d4)
21	4,125,000	10+11
22	4,500,000	10+12
23	4,875,000	10+13
24	5,250,000	10+14
25	5,625,000	10+15
26	6,000,000	10+16
27	6,375,000	10+17
28	6,750,000	10+18
29	7,125,000	10+19
30	7,500,000	10+20
31	7,875,000	10+21
32	8,250,000	10+22

Table 13: Wizard Spell Progression Beyond 20th Level

Wizard
Level		Spell  Level
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
21	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	2
22	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	3
23	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	3
24	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4
25	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
26	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	5
27	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	5
28	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
29	7	7	7	7	6	6	6	6	6
30	7	7	7	7	7	7	7	6	6
31	8	8	8	8	7	7	7	6	6
32	8	8	8	8	7	7	7	7	7
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Spells Above 9th-Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spells Above 9th-Level

There are no spells higher than 9th-level, and there never should be. Including higher-level spells would not only greatly imbalance the game, it would also give characters access to magic reserved exclusively for gods.

DMs contemplating the idea of designing 10th-level or higher spells in spite of this advice should first consider the implications of wish, generally considered to be the most powerful of all the spells. To be worthy of its superior ranking, any 10th-level spell would have to be significantly stronger than a wish, and if the game is to retain its integrity, that's a mighty tall order.

In a high-level campaign, the DM might decide that his characters do not have access to an adequate number of high-level spells. Rather than fuss with 10th-level spells, the DM is encouraged to add to the list of 9th-level spells (see the section on Spells in Chapter 2 for suggestions)

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Spell Commentary (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Commentary

Part of the fun of playing a wizard is developing new applications for spells through experimentation and improvisation. However, the creative use of many spells may not be immediately obvious. If a wizard always uses his spells in the same old ways, he is not taking full advantage of them.

The following list features some unusual applications for a variety of spells from all levels. Players can also use these suggestions for inspiration when inventing new uses for other spells in their arsenals. Additionally, clarifications of several of the game's more esoteric spells are provided, which can be used by the DM to help adjudicate their effects

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1st Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
1st Level

Cantrip

The simple effects created by cantrips have unlimited potential in the hands of a clever caster. Some examples:

•	A wizard is resting in an inn when he is awakened by the sound of a burglar entering through the window. The wizard casts cantrip to create wracking moans and cries emanating from inside a closet. Believing the room to be haunted, the terrified burglar may flee.

•	A wizard is searching a dark castle when he discovers a dusty book lying on a desk. He remembers that similar books were trapped to explode in a ball of fire when touched; such books were marked with a skull on the front cover. The wizard casts cantrip, creating a small breeze to blow the dust away from the book, revealing the skull on the cover.

•	A wizard traveling through a jungle is accosted by a band of cannibals. The wizard casts cantrip to create a puff of colored smoke. The intimidated cannibals, suspecting that the wizard wields powerful magic, decide to leave him alone.

•	The companion of a wizard is about to engage a dangerous opponent in a duel. The wizard casts cantrip to cause a slight itch on the opponent's face. The opponent is distracted, giving the wizard's companion a momentary advantage.

•	A menacing warrior stands before the party. The wizard casts cantrip to create a banana peel in front of the warrior. The warrior takes one step and falls on his face.

Enlarge

Much is made in the spell description in the Player's Handbook of changing the size of creatures, but wizards often overlook the usefulness of enlarge to change the size of objects. For instance, if the party is being pursued through a narrow passage or hallway, casting enlarge on a stone or other object behind the party can effectively block the passage and prevent the enemy's advancement. Similarly, if the party is faced with a locked or stuck door, the reverse spell, reduce, might be able to shrink the door just enough to allow the party to get through.

Mending

In addition to the uses for mending listed in the spell description, this spell can also be used to repair a leaky boat, a torn document, a broken wagon axle, or a cut rope (but it won't link the ends of two different ropes to make a single rope).

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2nd Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
2nd Level

Invisibility

Wizards should keep in mind that invisibility is an illusion, a condition of artificial reality-- it's not an enchantment that causes the caster (or creature of the caster's choice) to literally disappear. As such, invisibility is subject to all of the advantages and limitations of illusionary magic. Following are the most pertinent points:

•	The invisible character can always see himself; in effect, he automatically disbelieves the illusion.

•	The caster cannot tell with certainty which observers have successfully disbelieved his illusion of invisibility ; he can only be sure by observing their reactions.

•	All objects on the invisible subject's person are also invisible. However, the DM might wish to impose limitations, since it might not make sense for a 30-foot pole carried by an invisible character to also be entirely invisible. The DM might assume, for instance, that the illusion extends to a 1-foot or 2-foot radius around the affected subject; hence, all objects in contact with the subject that are within this area are also invisible. If such a limitation is imposed, then an object extending beyond this range (such as the 30-foot pole) is entirely visible; partially invisible objects aren't allowed.

•	Not every creature with fewer than 10 Hit Dice is excluded from noticing an invisible character. Creatures with excellent hearing or those with a sensitive sense of smell have a chance of detecting an invisible character. The DM should take such heightened senses into account when determining which creatures are allowed saving throws.

•	Opponents do not automatically get a chance to detect the presence of an invisible creature. They must first have reason to believe an invisible creature is among them. For instance, a creature might have abruptly disappeared, or the opponents might hear a mysterious sound or notice footprints in soft ground. If one opponent successfully sees an invisible creature, he can alert his companions to the creature's presence, at which time they are allowed saving throws to detect the creatures if they haven't made such throws already. (For more about the limits of illusions, see the "More About Adjudicating Illusions" section that follows. )

Misdirection

This spell can be used to misdirect the results of non-weapon proficiencies that impart knowledge. Examples of non-weapon proficiencies affected by misdirection include Ancient History, Animal Lore, Appraising, Astrology, Direction Sense, and Herbalism. If the subject of misdirection fails his saving throw, he receives incorrect information from the use of his proficiency. For instance, misdirected Animal Lore will convince the subject that a vicious creature is harmless, while misdirected Appraising will convince him that a valuable gem is worthless.

Web

This spell can be used as a makeshift net to prevent damage to falling characters, assuming there are suitable projections or surfaces available to anchor the web. A web of at least 5 feet of thickness protects a falling character from damage regardless of the height from which he falls

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3rd Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
3rd Level

Hold Person

The name of this spell should not be taken literally. Hold person makes its victims rigid-- if they're falling, for instance, it cannot "freeze" them in mid-fall and suspend them in the air. (However, see the hold monster entry below.)

Item

Use this spell on a weapon if the party is on the verge of being captured. In its cloth-like state, the shrunken weapon can be concealed up the caster's sleeve or it can be tucked underneath his belt or in his trousers. The wizard can later use the enlarged weapon to surprise his captors or, if the wizard's hands are bound, he may be able to use the weapon to cut himself free. Similarly, the spell can be used to conceal a grappling hook or a thief's pick. (The wizard should be careful where he hides a shrunken weapon; if a shrunken long sword is tucked inside his pants and is enlarged before it is removed, the result could be extremely painful. )

Melf's Minute Meteors

One of the most frequently overlooked functions of Melf's minute meteors (or any flame-producing spell, such as fireball) is its ability to ignite combustible materials. In the right situations, this ability is capable of producing a startling amount of damage, rivaling and often exceeding the damage caused by spells of much higher levels.

Tongues

This spell can be quite useful to the wizard for discreetly communicating with other characters, but only if he understands exactly how it works. Tongues acts as a selective translator, not as a universal translator-- that is, not everyone in the spell's area of effect understands the translated language.

For instance, imagine that a wizard can speak only common. All other members of his party also speak only common. The party encounters a group of two dwarves and one gnome; the dwarves speak only dwarvish, the gnome speaks only gnomish. The wizard casts tongues and speaks to the gnome; the gnome automatically understands what the wizard says, but the dwarves and the other party members do not--as far as they can tell, the wizard is speaking gnomish. Assuming the wizard is of sufficiently high level (he can speak one additional tongue for every three levels of experience) and the spell's duration has not yet expired, he can also address the dwarves. Both dwarves will understand the wizard, but the gnome and the rest of the party will not.

If a dwarf and a gnome begin chattering at the wizard at the same time, and the wizard is of sufficiently high level and the spell's duration hasn't expired, the wizard can understand them both. The other party members, however, will hear nothing but babble

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4th Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
4th Level

Dig

This is a very helpful spell when dealing with large, uncontrollable fires that are spreading in a field or other open area. To stop the advance of a spreading fire, dig can be used to create a firebreak--a ditch of broken soil devoid of combustible material. A fire reaching a firebreak will stop advancing, eventually burning itself out. If the fire is too large to stop, the wizard can protect himself and his companions by using dig to surround themselves with a firebreak and remain inside it while the fire rages around them. The wizard must take care to make the firebreak large enough to protect himself and his companions from heat damage, which typically affects those within 5 feet of the flames.

Fumble

This spell can cause a lot of grief to opponents in precarious positions. Fumble cast on a character clinging to the side of a cliff might cause him to fall. If cast on a character moving hand over hand across a rope bridge, the character might lose his grip and fall. If such a character fails his saving throw, he plunges from the cliff or releases the rope. If he succeeds in his saving throw, he hesitates, but doesn't fall.

Otiluke's Resilient Sphere

The sphere is an intact bubble filled with air. Therefore, a creature or object enclosed in the sphere will bob like a cork on the surface of an ocean or other body of water. If the sphere contains more weight than air, the sphere will gradually sink, but it could be pushed or carried by water-breathing creatures with sufficient strength. If a water-breathing character wants to explore a dark, underwater cavern, the sphere could be cast around a burning fire. The protected fire could then be carried underwater and would continue to burn until the air supply in the sphere was exhausted. (The carrier should take precautions to prevent being burned--in most cases, heavy gloves would probably do the trick).

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5th Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
5th Level

Hold Monster

Since this spell immobilizes victims and prevents them from moving under their own power, it is a very effective way to bring down flying creatures. Hold monster cast on a creature hovering overhead will not only cause it to fall to the ground, it also might suffer a significant amount of damage when it hits (1d6 hit points of damage per every 10 feet fallen).

Telekinesis

This spell can be used to scoop up slimes, jellies, and other semiliquid creatures in jugs or similar containers. If the containers are sealed, telekinesis can be used to position the containers over an opponent's head, then tipped to dump their contents. Such containers could also be filled with poison, acid, or other damaging substances

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7th-Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
7th-Level

Limited Wish

As with wish (see the discussion below), the DM should decide the limitations of limited wish before his wizards have an opportunity to use it, preferably before the campaign begins. Here are some suggestions for what a limited wish can accomplish. The DM is free to alter these suggestions as he sees fit.

•	A limited wish can heal damage for the caster or any single character of the caster's choice. A good range is 20-35 hit points (5d4 + 15) of healing. If a limited wish is used to heal damage in this way, it cannot be used to restore life; that is, it cannot affect any creature who has been reduced to 0 hit points.

•	A limited wish can temporarily restore life to any creature or person who was reduced to 0 hit points or less within the previous 24 hours. The limited wish restores the subject to exactly 1 hit point. Success is not automatic; the subject is required to make a resurrection survival check. However, the effect lasts for only a limited time (1-4 hours is a good range). At the end of this time, the creature reverts to the number of hit points he had before the limited wish was cast (0 hit points or less).

•	A limited wish can inflict damage on any single character. A good range is 20-40 (5d4 + 15) hit points of damage. The victim can save vs. spell for half damage.

•	A limited wish can duplicate the effects of any spell of 7th-level of less.

•	A limited wish can change the outcome of any action the wizard took within the past 24 hours, as long as the change is reasonably minor. For instance, the wizard could wish to search the body of an opponent he defeated earlier that day, but he could not wish to single-handedly have fought and defeated an entire army. All of the general restrictions that apply to wish (see below) also apply to limited wish. The suggestions regarding the selection of appropriate durations, casting times, and areas of effect also apply.

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8th Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
8th Level

Sink

This spell is a terrific way to help a character who is on the verge of falling off the edge of a cliff or losing his grip when hanging from the edge of a building. While the subject clings to the cliff, the wizard casts sink. If the spell is successfully cast, the subject becomes stuck to the cliff and won't fall. However, the spell expires in four turns, at which time the subject risks falling.

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9th Level (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
9th Level

Wish

Since it can theoretically have any effect, no spell is more difficult for the DM to adjudicate than wish. The DM can save himself a lot of headaches if he decides the limits of wish before his campaign begins. The DM is not obligated to discuss the ramifications of wishes with his players before a campaign begins. In fairness, however, he should be willing to give his players a general idea of his approach. While it is impossible to anticipate every conceivable use of a wish, there are a few key areas the DM should consider:

•	How far can a wish move a character from one place to another? How many characters or creatures can be affected? Must the conjurer have first-hand knowledge of the destination?

•	What types of items can a wish create? How much treasure? Are such creations permanent?

•	How many creatures can a single wish bring back to life?

•	How many creatures can a single wish destroy? Could a wish automatically destroy, for instance, a 20th-level wizard? How about a dragon? Are there alternatives to eliminating creatures other than wishing them dead?

      Following are some guidelines for what wishes can accomplish. As always, the DM is free to alter these suggestions in any way he sees fit. Suggestions noted with an asterisk (*) typically require a penalty for the caster. The nature of the penalty is up to the DM; possibilities include 2d4 days of bed rest, a temporary loss of 1-4 Strength points, a permanent loss of 1 Constitution point, damage of 2d10 hit points, or any combination of these penalties.

•	A wish can create a random amount of treasure for the caster. A good range is 1,000 - 10,000 gp (1d10 x 1,000). The treasure can include gold pieces, jewelry, gems, items, or any combination desired by the caster within the randomly determined monetary value. Magical items are excluded (they require a separate wish ).

•	A wish can heal damage for the caster, his companions, or any characters or creatures of the caster's choice. A good range is 45-70 hit points (5d6 + 40) healed. These recovered hit points can be spread among as many characters as the caster desires; for instance, if a wish heals 50 hit points, the caster could heal 20 hit points of his own damage and heal 10 hit points for three of his companions. If a wish is used to heal damage in this way, it cannot be used to restore life; that is, it cannot affect any creature who has been reduced to 0 hit points.

•	* A wish can restore life to any creature who was reduced to 0 hit points or less within the previous 24 hours. The wish restores the subject to exactly 1 hit point. Success is not automatic; the subject is required to make a resurrection survival check.

•	* A wish can destroy any single creature of 10 HD or less, or any character of 10th level or less within the caster's visual range. The affected creature or character is allowed a saving throw vs. death magic; if the check is successful, the creature is unaffected. (Be careful with this--in many cases, it is a better idea to advance the spellcaster to a future time period in which the target creature no longer exists, as described on page 197 of the Player's Handbook).

•	A wish can teleport without error the caster and up to a dozen companions to any location. The caster must have been to the location previously. The location can be in any plane of existence.

•	* A wish can permanently add one point to any ability score of the caster or any person of the caster's choice, as long as the score is not raised above 16. It takes 10 wishes to permanently raise any ability score each point beyond 16. (For instance, it takes 20 wishes to raise a character's Strength from 16 to 18.)

•	A wish can temporarily raise an ability to 18 for 1-6 hours.

•	A wish can duplicate the effects of any other spell.

What can't a wish do? Aside from the restrictions above, a wish should never grant experience points or extra levels to a character. Nor should wishes be able to duplicate artifacts or create extremely potent magical items (a potion of invisibility might be acceptable, but a sword +4 might not). The DM retains the right to disallow any wish he believes is too potent. He can also bestow an interpretation of the wish that follows the literal instructions of the wizard, and not the wizard's intended meaning (greed and gross manipulation of the rules should not be rewarded).

Examples:

•	If the wizard wishes for an entire castle of his own, the DM might have the castle appear in mid-air, then crash to the ground in a heap of rubble.

•	If the wizard wishes "to never again suffer damage from bladed weapons," the DM might turn him into a stone statue.

•	If the wizard wishes for a dragon to vanish, the dragon might pop out of sight, then abruptly reappear in another location, perhaps a few yards from the dragon's original position.

•	If the wizard wishes for a fortune in gold, the DM might teleport this fortune from a king's private treasure vault. The king will then send his best men to arrest the thieving wizard.

The DM is responsible for determining the components, duration, casting time, and area of effect each time a wish is to be cast. The DM should first determine what effect the wizard intends to achieve with his wish, then decide the components, casting time, and so forth, basing his decisions on his limitations for wishes in his campaign. The elements should be logical and reasonable. Here are some guidelines:

Components: Wishes have only verbal components. Keep them simple. A short, spoken phrase is usually sufficient.

Duration: In most cases, the effects of a wish will be permanent. The DM should decide in advance if there are any exceptions.

Casting Time: If the wish mimics the function of another spell, use that spell's casting time as a guideline, perhaps making it a little longer if the wish effect is significantly more powerful than the mimicked spell. For instance, if a wish is used to teleport a party (as described above), note that the teleport without error spell has a casting time of 1. Since the wish has a more powerful effect, a casting time of 4 or 5 for a teleporting wish is appropriate. When in doubt, use the casting times for other 9th-level spells as guidelines, or use a casting time of 1 round.

 	Area of Effect: In most cases, common sense will determine the area of effect. For instance, if a wish is to be used to heal damage, the affected persons should be within sight of the caster. The DM can be reasonably generous with areas of effect. If the caster wishes for 5,000 gp to be deposited in a chest 1,000 miles away, that is within reason. As an example of how all of these elements might be determined, imagine that the wizard wishes to teleport himself and his party to the wizard's home town. The DM determines the elements of the spell as follows:

Verbal Component: Speak the name of the desired location.

Duration: Instantaneous.

Casting Time: 1 round.

Area of Effect: All characters within a 20-yard radius of the caster.

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More About Adjudicating Illusions (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
More About Adjudicating Illusions

Whether an NPC is able to disbelieve a PC wizard's illusion or whether a PC is able to disbelieve an NPC illusion is ultimately up to the DM. The DM should allow a saving throw against an illusion if the subject has any reason at all to doubt the existence of what he is experiencing. To account for the degree of realism in a given illusion, as well as any information available to the subject about the perceived illusion, the DM should modify the subject's saving throws with appropriate bonuses and penalties.

How does a DM make these decisions? There are a number of factors that can be considered to help determine bonuses and penalties for saving throws. It's unrealistic to expect the DM to meticulously evaluate every aspect of an illusion before he decides on the modifiers, but the following can be used as general guidelines

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Complexity--Non-Living Objects (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Complexity--Non-Living Objects

The most important element in determining an illusion's believability is its complexity. The more complex the illusion, the more difficult it is for the caster to get all the details right, and the more likely it is for a subject to notice a mistake. There are more details to a fire-breathing dragon than there are to a stationary boulder, so it is no surprise that a subject would be more likely to disbelieve the illusionary dragon than he would the illusionary rock.

An illusion can be a re-creation of a non-living (inanimate) or a living (animate) object. These need to be treated in different ways.

In general, the complexity of non-living objects depends on size (a pebble vs. a boulder), number (a single boulder vs. a dozen boulders scattered over an area), and appearance (a smooth gray boulder vs. a sparkling, multi-colored gem). External forces affecting the object also affect its complexity (wind blowing pebbles along the ground or an avalanche of boulders tumbling down a hill).

If the illusion has an excessive number of sensory elements, the subject's saving throw may receive a positive modifier. What constitutes an excessive number of elements? A single color or texture (for instance, a smooth gray boulder) is not excessive.  Multiple colors and textures (a pile of various types of gems or minerals) or several different sensory elements (a field of variously colored flowers that have a variety of fragrances) could be considered excessive, as could the illusion of motion, such as boulders tumbling down a hill.

These factors are not necessarily cumulative; in fact, only in the most exceptional cases would an illusion of non-living objects result in a saving throw modifier of more than +2.

Examples:

•	An illusion of a single blue diamond. Saving throw modifier: 0. Nothing about this illusion is particularly difficult since it is a single, stationary item.

•	An illusion of ten thousand sparkling blue diamonds tumbling in an avalanche down a hillside. Saving throw: +2. There are a large number of items, they're sparkling, and they're in motion. The comparatively high saving throw bonus is also justified by the extremely unusual effect--a character might accept an avalanche of boulders, but an avalanche of diamonds is likely to arouse suspicion.

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Complexity--Living Objects (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Complexity--Living Objects

Generally, the higher the Hit Dice or level of the illusionary creature, the more complex it is to convincingly create and the more likely it is for a subject to disbelieve. An illusion of an ant is easier to create than the illusion of a dragon. This also applies to illusionary NPCs--a 15th-level warrior is harder to create than a peasant with 3 hit points. Similarly, the more creatures included in the illusion, the harder it is to create; an illusion of 20 peasants would be more difficult than a single peasant.

Illusions of active creatures are more difficult to create than illusions of relatively inactive creatures. If the illusionary creature is executing a simple action, such as standing still, polishing its sword, or grazing in the grass, no special modifier for the subject's saving throw may be required. However, if the illusionary creature is executing a complex series of actions, such as singing a song while dancing and juggling, or attacking with two weapons while shouting a war cry, a modifier may be in order.

If the illusionary creature is a generic monster or NPC--that is, it is a "typical" orc or NPC warrior--there is no need for a special modifier for the subject's saving throw. However, if the illusionary creature is a specific, one-of-a-kind monster or NPC that the subject is familiar with--such as a friend of the subject, or the subject's pet dog--the subject should receive a special modifier.

 As with the modifiers for inanimate objects, these factors are not necessarily cumulative. Only in exceptional cases would an illusion result in a saving throw modifier of more than +3.

Examples:

•	An illusion of a single orc standing still, polishing his sword. Saving throw modifier: 0. Nothing is particularly difficult about creating an illusion of a single, low HD creature engaged in a relatively simple action.

•	An illusion of King Sluz, the famous orc ruler, brandishing his five-pronged trident, screeching a war cry, and leading a squad of six snarling orc soldiers. Saving throw modifier: +3. The modifier assumes the subject is familiar with King Sluz. Casting a believable illusion of a well-known NPC is always extremely difficult, particularly when he is executing a complex action and is accompanied by other creatures.

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Magical Effects and Special Attacks (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Magical Effects and Special Attacks

Magic is common in most AD&D® campaign worlds, so opponents are not necessarily suspicious of extraordinary effects that appear to defy natural laws.  However, in certain instances, illusions that incorporate magical effects or special attacks will require saving throw modifiers. In general, a wizard cannot create excessively bizarre magical effects in his illusion without arousing the suspicion of the subject, adding a saving throw modifier of as much as +2.

Example:

•	An illusion of a pile of sticks that abruptly bursts into flames. Saving throw modifier: 0. This is not an unusual magical effect.

•	An illusion of a pile of sticks that bursts into green flames; the flames then change into a miniature replica of a purple castle with frog's legs; the castle tap dances, and finally turns into a pumpkin with the subject's face before disappearing in a puff of pink smoke, and the sticks are unburned. Saving throw modifier: +2. This is downright bizarre, easily justifying the higher modifier.

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Flaws (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Flaws

Illusions are seldom perfect, and wary subjects will always be alerted to an image's illusionary nature by its imperfections. For instance, if a wizard uses a spell such as phantasmal force to create an illusionary creature, the creature might lack one or more obvious sensory elements, such as sound, aroma, or body temperature, which can be a dead giveaway that the creature is only an illusion. In extreme cases, the subject's saving throw can be modified by as much as +4. If the wizard is using a better spell, such as improved phantasmal force, any sensory elements lacking in the illusion will not be as obvious, and the subject's saving throw rarely will be modified by more than +2.

Examples:

•	An illusion of a bee. Saving throw modifier: +1 (phantasmal force), 0 (improved phantasmal force) . The illusionary bee won't buzz in a lower-level illusion, but it will in the higher-level spell.

•	An illusion of a hissing fire lizard covered with filth. Saving throw modifier: +4 (phantasmal force), +1 (improved phantasmal force). The lower-level illusion won't be able to duplicate the lizard's hiss, body heat, or the smell of the filth. The higher-level spell will do a better job, but the modifier assumes that at least one of these elements is imperfect or missing.

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Revealed Illusions (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Revealed Illusions

As explained on page 84 of the Player's Handbook, if one subject successfully disbelieves an illusion and informs another subject of the illusion, the second subject receives a modifier to his saving throw. The amount of this modifier depends on the reliability of the informant and the magnitude of the illusion. If the informant in unreliable and the illusion is formidable (for instance, an illusion of a deadly monster), the subject might ignore the informant entirely; in this case, no special saving throw modifier applies. If the informant is reliable (the subject's commander or friend), and the illusion is relatively minor (such as the image of a small fire), the subject's saving throw can be modified by as much as +4

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Intelligence (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Intelligence

It makes sense that a highly intelligent wizard would be able to create more effective illusions. It also makes sense that subjects with low intelligence would be less likely to disbelieve an illusion. Therefore, if the caster's Intelligence is exceptionally high (18 or more), the subject's saving throw might be modified by -1. If the subject's Intelligence is exceptionally low (7 or less), his saving throw might be modified by -1. A -2 modifier is possible if both the caster's Intelligence is high and the subject's Intelligence is low.

Remember also that characters with exceptionally high Intelligence are automatically immune to low-level illusions. These immunities are summarized on Table 4 of the Player's Handbook.

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The Illusion-Casting Subject (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Illusion-Casting Subject

Characters and creatures who can cast illusions themselves are much harder to fool.  If the subject is an illusionist NPC or a creature with illusion-casting abilities, he receives a +1 bonus to his saving throw

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Summary of Modifiers (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Summary of Modifiers

For quick reference, Table 14 summarizes all of the situations described above, giving a range of possible modifiers to the subject's saving throw. Again, these are sugggestions only, not hard and fast rules, and the DM is free to tinker with them as he sees fit. These modifiers are not necessarily cumulative; in fact, modifying any saving throw for disbelieving illusions by +4 is unusual, while modifying a throw by +6 (or more) should occur only in the most exceptional circumstances

Table 14: Summary of Possible Modifiers for Saving Throws vs. Illusions

	Modifier
Factors of	Range for
Illusion	Subject
Complexity (use one
of the following):
Non-living	0 to +2
Living	0 to +3
Magical effects	0 to +2
Flaws (use one of the
following):
phantasmal force
or similar spell	0 to +2
improved phantasmal
force or similar spell	0 to +4
Intelligence of caster
and subject	-2 to 0
Illusion-casting subject	+1 to 0
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Spell Research (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Research

Wizards can research new spells by following the rules on pages 43-44 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Most of the details are left to the DM so he can customize spell research according to the needs of his campaign. If a DM is having trouble devising a useable system or is not exactly sure how to proceed, some suggested rules are given below. These rules apply to researching new spells; rules for researching existing spells can be found at the end of this section. Again, all of these rules are optional--the DM can make any adjustments or additions that seem reasonable to him

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Defining a New Spell (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Defining a New Spell

The first step in researching a spell is defining exactly what the spell is intended to accomplish. The player begins by making a rough draft of the proposed spell, including its effects, school, range, duration, and area of effect. The DM will then adjust these elements, making sure the proposed spell does not duplicate the effects of an existing spell, or is not a minor variation of an existing spell. The DM, working with the player, will establish the spell's casting time, saving throw, and, most importantly, its level. (For help with determining the elements of a new spell, see the Spells section in Chapter 2.)

Every proposed spell is not automatically acceptable. The DM can veto a proposed spell for any of the following reasons:

•	The player character already knows the maximum number of spells of the proposed spell's level. (This is allowable if the optional Researching Extra Wizard Spells rule on page 44 of the DMG is being used.)

•	The proposed spell is not of a level allowed by the player character's Intelligence, as per Table 4 of the Player's Handbook. (For instance, a wizard with an Intelligence of 9 cannot cast 4th-level spells. Therefore, he cannot research them.)

•	The proposed spell belongs to a school in opposition to the player character's school.

•	The player proposes to research a spell of 10th-level or higher. (No spell can exceed 9th- level.)

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Spell Components (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Components

If the DM is using the optional rules for spell components (page 44 of the Dungeon Master's Guide), the components for the proposed spell should be established before the research begins. If the spell is of a relatively low level, the components should be fairly simple, but higher-level spells might require unusually obscure components, such as the cloak of a spectre, the freshly-clipped toenail of a troll, or a handful of dust from the Abyss. (The quest for a needed component makes for an excellent adventure springboard.)  In any case, the wizard must have all necessary components in hand before he can begin his research

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Cost of Research (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Cost of Research

Page 44 of the DMG gives a general range of costs for researching new spells (100-1,000 gp per spell level, plus 1,000-10,000 gp for a laboratory). Following is an alternate way to establish research costs.

There are two categories of expenses required for research: the Basic Investment, and the Operational Cost.

The Basic Investment is a one-time expenditure, representing the funds spent to buy the scrolls and books needed, as well as the funds necessary to assemble a suitable laboratory.

The library costs for each spell level are summarized in Table 15. There are two ways a wizard can avoid the Basic Investment for a library.

1. The wizard already has a suitable library of his own (see the Wizard's Library section below).

2. The wizard has access to a large library, such as those existing in major cities or in academies of magic. (The DM decides if a library of acceptable size is available to the wizard).

The Basic Investment for a laboratory is 1,000-6,000 (1d6 x 1000) gp. The DM determines the cost of the laboratory, either by rolling randomly or setting a specific price. As with the library, there are two ways a wizard can avoid paying the Basic Investment for a laboratory:

1. The wizard has purchased a laboratory previously. Once a wizard purchases a lab, it becomes a permanent part of his possessions. He never has to buy another one unless, of course, it blew up in a lab accident or is otherwise destroyed.

2. The wizard has access to a laboratory in a major city or at a magical academy. A city or academy that has a suitable library will usually have a suitable laboratory, but the decision belongs to the DM. The DM might also require the wizard to pay a modest weekly rental fee--say, 20-120 (2d6 x 10) gp--for the use of the lab.

The Operational Cost is an ongoing expense necessary to sustain the research. The Operational Cost must be paid every week and mainly represents the price of additional books, supplies, and scrolls. The weekly Operational Cost is equal to 200-1,200 (2d6 x 100) gp. The DM determines the Operational Cost, either by rolling randomly or choosing a fixed price. There is no way for a wizard to avoid paying the weekly Operational Cost

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The Wizard's Library (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
The Wizard's Library

Before a wizard can begin research on any spell, he must have a sizeable library of arcane books and scrolls. The size of the library is expressed in terms of its value. The value of the library necessary for each spell level is summarized in Table 15

Table 15: Library Values Necessary for Spell Research

GP Value	Can Research
of Library	Spells of This
	Level
2,000	1st
4,000	2nd
8,000	3rd
14,000	4th
22,000	5th
32,000	6th
44,000	7th
58,000	8th
74,000	9th

For instance, before a wizard can begin researching a 4th-level spell, he must have access to a library worth at least 14,000 gp. If he has no books at all in his library (perhaps because he has never researched a spell before), he must spend 14,000 gp on books before he can begin. If he has a library of lesser value (for instance, if his library is worth 4,000 gp), he must spend whatever money is necessary to increase the value of his library to the appropriate level. (If he has a 4,000 gp library, he must spend an additional 10,000 gp before he can research a 4th-level spell.)

For the most part, books that are suitable for research are hard to find. If a wizard is assembling his library prior to research, assume that it takes 5-10 (1d6 + 4) weeks of searching to locate 1,000 gp worth of books.

Books can sometimes be purchased in the bookshops of any major city or from NPC book collectors. A fortunate wizard may stumble upon such books during his adventures and keep them as he would any other discovered treasure; these books, of course, don't cost him any money. The quest for a particular book can be the basis for an entire adventure. (The DM determines the value of any discovered books.)

For the purposes of spell research, whether a library is of suitable size depends on its value, not its actual number of books. However, as a point of interest, assume that the cost of a single research book varies between 100-1,000 (1d10 x 100) gp. Therefore, a library suitable for researching 4th-level spells is valued at 14,000 gp and contains 14-140 books.

Once a wizard has assembled a library of sufficient value, he can begin research, but he still must pay the weekly Operational Costs. The Operational Costs correspond to the purchase of additional books and supplies. Half these Operational Costs can be considered to be new tomes. Therefore, over the course of his research, the wizard's library will increase in value. For instance, assume that a wizard with a 14,000 gp library has a weekly Operational Cost of 400 gp to research a 4th-level spell. After he has researched for four weeks, he'll have spent a total of 1,600 gp in Operational Costs and his library will have increased in value 800 gp. (Buying books with Operational Cost funds is assumed to be part of the research process and requires no extra time.)

As his research progresses, a wizard can opt to spend more than the minimum amount of money required for his Operational Costs in order to buy additional books to increase his chances of successfully researching his spell. The effects of these additional expenditures are explained in the Research Time and Chance of Success section below.

When a wizard spends money on library books, whether spent as part of the Basic Investment or as Operational Costs, the books then become part of his permanent library. Therefore, once he has assembled a library valued at 14,000 gp, he will never need to make another Basic Investment in library books when he wants to research 4th-level spells. Once he has assembled a library valued at 74,000 gp, he can research spells of any level without ever making another Basic Investment in books. Clearly, a wizard's library is one of his most precious possessions. The prudent wizard will go to great lengths to keep his library safe and protected.

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Initial Preparation (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Initial Preparation

After the Basic Investment is made (or avoided, if the wizard already owns or has access to a suitable library), the wizard must spend preparation time before the actual research begins. This initial preparation involves basic reading and reviewing of notes; in addition, the wizard must prepare himself mentally and physically for the grueling task ahead. This initial preparation lasts a number of weeks equal to the level of the proposed spell, plus one. Therefore, a wizard attempting to research a 5th-level spell must spend six weeks in initial preparation

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Research Time and Chance of Success (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Research Time and Chance of Success

According to page 44 of the Dungeon Master's Guide, a wizard can check to see if he has successfully researched a spell after he has spent the minimum number of weeks required in research. The success check is the same as his chance for learning any new spell. Though this is a simple, straightforward method for checking success, it does not consider the researcher's experience level (a more experienced wizard would probably be more successful at researching spells than a less experienced wizard) or the level of the spell (a high-level spell would be more difficult to research than a lower-level spell). Nor does it consider any extra funds the wizard is willing to invest to increase his chances of success.

Following is an alternate method of checking for research success. While more complicated, it produces results that the DM might find more realistic.

The minimum amount of time needed to research a spell is two weeks per spell level; for instance, a minimum of eight weeks is required to research a 4th-level spell. During this time, the wizard is poring over old texts, cross-checking references, taking notes, and conducting experiments.

It is essential that the wizard is free from interruption during his research. Since 10-12 hours per day of intensive study are required, a wizard engaged in research is precluded from participating in adventures or any other time-consuming activity.  If a wizard's study is interrupted, the DM can rule that the research has suffered a set-back, requiring an additional amount of research time before success can be checked.

While engaged in research, the wizard must pay the required Operational Cost every week.  If he runs out of funds, he must interrupt his research to earn more money before he can resume.  At the DM's discretion, this interruption might also require that the research time be lengthened.  If the wizard's research is interrupted for an extended period--say, a week or more--the DM might require the wizard to start his research all over again. When the minimum research period is over, the wizard can check to see if he has discovered his spell.  If he fails to discover it, he can continue with his research and check again every week thereafter.

The following formula is used to check for a successful discovery:

Success chance = {10% (base chance) + researcher's Intelligence + researcher's experience level} -(level of spell being researched x 2)

As an example, assume that a 7th-level wizard with an Intelligence of 10 is researching a 3rd-level spell. His success chance is equal to 10 percent (base chance) + 10 (his Intelligence) + 7 (his experience level)-6 (the level of the spell, multiplied by 2). Therefore, his chance of success is 21 percent. If the DM rolls 21 or less on percentile dice, the wizard has learned the new spell and can add it to his spell books; the new spell is then treated like a normal spell for all purposes. If the wizard fails the check, he can continue his research and check for success again in another week. (Note that this chance of success is somewhat lower than it would be if the wizard were trying to learn an existing spell. But this is logical since the uncertain nature of a new spell makes learning more difficult.)

The wizard can increase his chance of success by spending more than the required amount of money for his weekly Operational Costs. For every extra 2,000 gp he spends per week (this is in addition to his weekly Operational Costs), his base chance increases by 10 percent. The base chance of 10 percent can be increased to a maximum of 50 percent in this way (the wizard can spend as much as 8,000 extra gp per week).  In our example above, if the wizard had spent an extra 8,000 gp, his chance of success would have been 61 percent (50 + 10 + 7-6). The extra expenditure applies to the current week only--if he wants to increase his chance again next week, he'll have to spend extra money again

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Example of Research (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Example of Research

Following is a step-by-step example of spell research. In this example, an 8th-level wizard with an Intelligence of 12 is attempting to research a 3rd-level spell. This is his first attempt at researching a spell. He has no library or laboratory, but he has plenty of money. The DM has decided that no special components are necessary to research this spell.

1. The wizard has no lab, so the DM determines that the wizard must spend 1,000 gp to establish a suitable lab.

2. The wizard has no library, so he spends 8,000 gp over the next eight weeks locating the appropriate books. (The wizard must have an 8,000 gp library to research a 3rd-level spell.)

3. The DM establishes the Operating Costs to research this spell at 500 gp per week.

4. The wizard spends four weeks of preparation time before beginning his research. (The preparation time is the number of weeks equal to the level of the spell plus 1.)

5. The wizard begins his research. He spends six consecutive, uninterrupted weeks in research, the minimum number required to research a 3rd-level spell. During this period, he invests 3,000 gp in Operating Costs (500 gp for six weeks).  At the end of six weeks, he's ready to check whether his research has been successful. Note that the value of his library has grown to 9,500 gp during this period.

6. The DM determines that the wizard's chance of success is equal to 10 (the base chance) + 12 (the wizard's Intelligence) + 8 (the wizard's level)-6 (the level of the spell, multiplied by 2), which is 24 percent. The DM rolls percentile dice, and the result is 66. The check fails. (If the wizard gives up at this point, he won't be able to learn the proposed spell unless he starts from scratch at some point in the future; in the meantime, he can console himself with the fact that he has acquired a nice library.)

7. The wizard continues his research for another week. He spends the required 500 gp for his Operating Costs, but also spends an additional 4,000 gp to raise his success chance by 20 percent (the cost is 2,000 gp per 10 percent boost). The increased investment affects the percentage chance for this week only.

8. At the end of the week, the DM checks again to see if the wizard has been successful. This time, the wizard's chance of success is 44 percent (the 20 percent increase represents the additional investment of 4,000 gp). The roll is 34, so the wizard is successful--he can add the new spell to his spell book.

If the check had failed again, the wizard could continue the research for as many weeks as he is willing, until either his patience or his money run out. He must pay the Operational Costs each week.

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Researching Existing Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Researching Existing Spells

In addition to researching new spells, a wizard can research existing spells (those listed in the Player's Handbook and--if the DM allows them--the new spells from Chapter 8 of this book). Since it makes sense that information about existing spells is easier to find than information about spells that do not yet exist, it is easier for a wizard to research them.

To account for this difference, make the following adjustments in the above procedures when a wizard is researching an existing spell:

1. The Operational Cost is reduced to 100-600 (1d6 x 100) gp per week.

2. The base chance of success is increased from 10 percent to 30 percent.

The lab costs, library costs, preparation time, and minimum number of weeks for researching existing spells are the same as research of new spells. The cost of increasing the base chance is also the same (2,000 gp per 10 percent increase), as is the total amount that can be spent (8,000 gp). Notice, however, that spending the 8,000 gp maximum increases the base chance to 70 percent (20 points higher than the 50 percent limit when researching new spells.)

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Limiting the Success Chance (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Limiting the Success Chance

Notice that a wizard's chance of successfully researching a spell could exceed 100 percent, particularly when a high-level wizard is researching an existing low-level spell. Although automatic success is certainly in the spirit of the game (according to Table 4 of the Player's Handbook, all wizards of 19th level and above have a 100 percent chance of learning new spells), some DMs might prefer to eliminate any chance of automatic success. If so, we suggest requiring that all wizards must roll for success, even if their calculated chance exceeds 100 percent; a roll of 95 or higher is treated as failure.

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More About Magical Item Research (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
More About Magical Item Research

Magical item research is discussed in detail on pages 84-88 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and needs little elaboration here. However, a few points are worth mentioning:

Laboratories: The laboratory requirements for researching magical items are different than those for researching spells. Spell research requires shelving, easels, writing tools, files, and similar supplies, while item research requires test tubes, beakers, burners, chemicals, and other equipment.

Consequently, a wizard who invested in a spell research laboratory will still need to buy equipment to research an item. For example, assume that a wizard just spent 5,000 gp on a laboratory for spell research, and now wants to research a new potion. The basic cost for an alchemical laboratory is 2,000 gp (see page 87 of the DMG). Since the 5,000 gp laboratory is useless for potion research, the wizard must spend 2,000 gp for alchemical equipment.

Libraries: Just as a wizard's spell research lab is relatively useless for item research, so is his spell research library. However, a sizeable library of magical tomes probably contains short-cuts, hints, and formulas that will help the wizard in his item research. At the DM's discretion, access to a sizeable library (say, with a value of at least 74,000 gp) can increase a wizard's chance of success by as much as 10 percent. Access to a library doesn't change the amount of time it takes to research and create an item, nor does it change the amount of money that must be spent.

Specialist Bonus: If a specialist is researching an item that duplicates an effect of a spell from his school, his chance of success can be increased by as much as 10 percent. If the DM uses this rule, he should also deny a specialist the chance to research an item that duplicates a spell effect from any of the specialist's oppositional schools. The researcher's school has no effect on the amount of research time required, nor does it affect the amount of money that must be spent.

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Chapter 8: New Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 8: New Spells

This chapter includes a variety of new spells that can be used to supplement the choices provided in the Player's Handbook. These spells expand the options for the schools of abjuration, divination, and necromancy, thus making these specializations more attractive to player characters

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Spell Descriptions (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Descriptions

The game statistics listed for the spells below follow the guidelines on page 129 of the Player's Handbook. All of these spells are acquired, memorized, and recorded in spell books as described on page 41 of the Dungeon Master's Guide and page 81 of the Player's Handbook.

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Spell Components (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Spell Components

Material Components

In accordance with the listings in the Player's Handbook, material components are given below for the spells that require them. The DM must decide the precise amounts of these materials, as well as any other details about them. For instance, color spray requires a "pinch" of colored sand--the DM decides what exactly constitutes a "pinch." Likewise, dancing lights requires a glowworm--must the glowworm be alive, or can it be a preserved specimen? Less fussy DMs can allow their wizards as much latitude as they wish with material components, as long as they meet the general requirements of the spell description

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Verbal and Somatic Components (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Verbal and Somatic Components

The DM makes the decision regarding precise verbal and somatic components for any spell, although suggestions from players should be considered; specific verbal and somantic components are not required, but they add color to the game by giving players a clearer idea of exactly what procedures must occur in order for their PC wizards to cast spells. Requiring specific components can also make for some challenging game situations. For example, if a wizard is gagged, he may be prevented from casting spells with spoken verbal components. Similarly, a wizard with his hands bound behind him may have problems casting a spell whose somatic component requires specific hand gestures. (See Chapter 6 for more information about impaired casters and spell components.) Verbal components can be single words, brief phrases, snatches of poetry, chants, or nonsense syllables. They can be spoken, whispered, shouted, or sung. Verbal components can also be groans, grunts, coughs, whistles, or any other vocally-produced sound.

Often, the verbal component will relate to the effect of the spell. For instance, the verbal component for feather fall might be the whispered word "float," while a low, eerie moan might work for detect undead. Dimension door might be the spoken word "open," while the verbal component for gust of wind might be a slow exhalation of air. Somatic components can be any type of physical gesture. For some spells, merely touching or pointing at the target or subject is sufficient. More elaborate gestures are suitable for higher-level spells. In many cases, the somatic component will relate to the spell's effect. For instance, the somatic component for audible glamer might require the caster to put his hand to his ear as if he were listening. Rapidly rubbing the hands together might suffice for chill touch, while wiggling the fingers like a spider might serve as the somatic component for web.

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First-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
First-Level Spells

Copy (Evocation)

Range: Special

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One object

Saving Throw: Special

Copy enables the caster to make a perfect copy of a map, letter, or any other written or drawn document. The caster must have a blank parchment or a book with blank pages of sufficient size to hold the copy. The caster holds the blank object over the object to be copied, then casts the spell; the copy immediately appears on the formerly blank object. The copy is permanent and is a perfect duplicate of the original.

Copy can also be used to copy spells from a new spell book into the caster's spell book, assuming the caster's spell book is of sufficient size to contain the new spells. The caster must first roll to see if he can learn the new spells; if so, he can cast copy to instantly copy them into his spell book.

The material components for this spell are a piece of blank parchment (or a book with blank pages, as described above), and a drop of black ink

Chromatic Orb (Alteration, Evocation)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell causes a 4-inch-diameter sphere to appear in the caster's hand. Within the limits described below, the sphere can appear in a variety of colors; each color indicates a different special power. The caster can hurl the sphere at an opponent up to 30 yards away, providing there are no barriers between the caster and the target.  If the target is no more than 10 yards away, the caster's to hit roll is made with a +3 bonus.  If the target is 10-20 yards away, the caster's roll is made with a +2 bonus. If the target is 20-30 yards away, the caster's roll is made with a +1 bonus.

If the chromatic orb misses its target, it dissipates without effect. If the target creature makes a successful saving throw, the chromatic orb is also ineffective. Otherwise, the color of the orb determines the amount of damage inflicted and its special power, as summarized on Table 16; details about the special powers are listed below.  The caster can create a single orb of any color listed for his level or lower; for instance, a 3rd-level wizard can create an orange, red, or white orb. 	The material component for this spell is a gem of the appropriate hue or any diamond. The gem must have a value of at least 50 gp.

Light from the orb causes the victim to become surrounded by light to a radius of 20 feet, as if affected by a light spell. The effect lasts for 1 round, during which time the victim makes his attack rolls and saving throws at a -4 penalty, and his AC is penalized by 4.

Heat from the orb is intense enough to melt 1 cubic yard of ice. The victim suffers a loss of 1 point of Strength and 1 point of Dexterity (or for victims without these attributes, -1 to hit and a penalty of 1 to AC) for 1 round.

Fire from the orb ignites all combustible materials within 3 feet of the victim.

Blindness from the orb causes the victim to become blind as per the spell. The effect lasts for 1 round/level of the caster.

Stinking cloud from the orb surrounds the victim in a 5-foot-radius noxious cloud. The victim must save vs. poison or will be reeling and unable to attack until he leaves the area of the vapors. 	Magnetism from the orb has an effect only if the victim is wearing armor made from iron. The iron armor becomes magically magnetized for 3-12 (3d4) rounds. Other iron objects within 3 feet of the caster will stick tight to the magnetized armor; only dispel magic or a similar spell can release the stuck items. At the end of the spell's duration, the stuck items are released.

Paralysis from the orb causes the victim to become paralyzed for 6-20 (2d8 + 4) rounds; a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation halves the number of rounds.

Petrification from the orb turns the victim to stone. If the victim successfully saves vs. petrification, he avoids turning to stone and instead is slowed (as per the spell) for 2-8 (2d4) rounds. 	Death from the orb causes the victim to die. If the victim successfully saves. vs death magic, he avoids death and instead is paralyzed for 2-5 (1d4 +1) rounds.

Table 16: Chromatic Orb Effects

Level of	Color of Orb	Hit Points	Special
Caster	Generated	of Damage	Power
1st	White	1-4	Light
2nd	Red	1-6	Heat
3rd	Orange	1-8	Fire
4th	Yellow	1-10	Blindness
5th	Green	1-12	Stinking Cloud
6th	Turquoise	2-8	Magnetism
7th	Blue	2-16	Paralysis
8th	Violet	slow	Petrification
9th	Black	paralysis	Death

Corpse Visage (Illusion,  Necromancy)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Creature touched

Saving Throw: Neg

This spell transforms the caster's face or the face of any creature touched by the caster into the horrifying visage of a rotting corpse. The effect of this illusion is so startling that when it is viewed by opponents, the wizard's party adds a modifier of +2 to their surprise roll. Creatures with low Intelligence or higher (Intelligence of 5 or greater) and with 1 Hit Die or less (or who are 1st level or lower) must make a successful saving throw when first viewing corpse visage or flee in terror for 1-4 rounds.

Corpse visage does not distinguish between friend and foe, and all who view it are subject to its effects. If the spell is cast upon an unwilling victim, the victim is allowed a saving throw to avoid the effect.

The material component is a rag or piece of cloth taken from a corpse. The cloth must be prepared by dotting it with paints of assorted colors.

Detect Disease (Divination)

Range: 10 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: 1 creature or object

Saving Throw: None

Detect disease reveals to the wizard whether a subject creature or object carries a disease, whether normal or magical. Additionally, there is a 10 percent chance per level of the caster that he is able to identify the exact type of disease.

The material component for this spell is a twig or small branch from any tree

Divining Rod (Divination, Enchantment)

Range: 60 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: None

This spell enables the caster to enchant the branch of a ginkgo or fruit tree to locate a common item that is hidden from view. Unlike locate object, the caster does not need to have a specific mental image of a particular item; rather, he only needs to state the name of the general type of item he wishes to locate, such as buried treasure, edible plants, or fresh water. However, divining rod will not locate invisible or magical items, nor will it locate items protected by obscure item or a similar spell.

Once the branch is enchanted, the caster holds the branch with both hands. If the desired item is within the range of the spell, the enchanted branch points in the direction of the item and gently pulls the caster along. The spell is not blocked by lead or any other substance. However, if an impenetrable obstacle is reached, such as the ground or a wall, the branch presses against it and stops. If there is no item matching the description within the spell range, the branch does not react, although the caster can move about and continue to search.

The material component for this spell is the branch from a ginkgo tree or a fruit tree, such as peach, apple, or lemon. The branch must be shaped like the letter Y, so that the caster can grasp a fork of the branch in each hand.

Protection from Hunger and Thirst (Abjuration)

Range: Touch

Components: S, M

Duration: 1 day/level

Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

When protection from hunger and thirst is cast, the recipient requires no food, water, or nourishment of any kind for the duration of the spell. The recipient can be the caster or anyone he touches. Each day the caster (or the subject of the caster's choice) is under the effect of the spell, he is fully nourished as if he had eaten and drunk normally. At the end of the spell's duration, the subject is no more hungry or thirsty than he was when the spell was originally cast.

The material components for this spell are a small piece of dried meat and a cup of water.

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Second-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Second-Level Spells

Choke (Necromancy, Conjuration/Summoning)

Range: 30 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: 1/2

By means of choke, the caster causes a pair of ghostly hands to appear around the throat of a single victim. The victim must be a human, demihuman, or humanoid, and must be within 30 yards of the caster. The hands will choke and strangle the affected victim for the duration of the spell; each round, the victim suffers 1-4 hit points of damage from the choking hands. If the victim makes a successful saving throw, he suffers half-damage each round.

Choke can be negated by dispel magic or a similar spell; the victim cannot wrench the ethereal hands away from his neck. The victim makes all attack rolls at a -2 penalty while affected by choke.

The material component for this spell is a handkerchief or similarly-sized piece of cloth that has been tied in a knot

Death Recall (Necromancy, Divination)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One corpse

Saving Throw: None

This spell enables the caster to visualize the final minutes of the life of any creature or person that died within the previous 24 hours. When the caster touches the subject's corpse, the caster goes into a trance. The caster then has a vision of the final 10 minutes of the subject's life as seen by the subject himself. The vision ends with the last scene the subject saw before he died, at which time the caster awakens from his trance and the spell is over.

The material component for this spell is a fragment from a shattered mirror

Detect Life (Divination)

Range: 10 feet/level

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 5 rounds

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

By use of this spell, the caster can determine if a creature is alive, including creatures in a coma or trance, or under the influence of feign death. Any form of mental protection prevents the effectiveness of this spell, as does any thickness of metal. An inch of stone or wood is treated as 10 feet of open space for the purpose of determining whether the spell functions.

The material components for this spell are a holy symbol and a hair from the head of a newborn animal

Filter (Abjuration)

Range: Touch

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: 10-foot radius sphere around creature touched

Saving throw: None

This spell creates an invisible globe of protection that filters out all noxious elements from poisonous vapors; therefore, a creature protected by filter takes no damage and suffers no penalties from poison gas of any kind, including those created magically (such as stinking cloud). The exceptions are poisonous vapors created by a dragon's breath weapon (such as the chlorine gas of a green dragon); in these cases, the creature protected by filter suffers half-damage.

The material components for this spell are a strand of spider web and a scrap of cotton cloth approximately one inch square

Ghoul Touch (Necromancy)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: One person

Saving Throw: Special

When this spell is in effect, the caster's touch causes any single human, dwarf, gnome, half-elf, or halfling to become rigid for 3-8 (1d6 +2) rounds unless the victim makes a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation. Additionally, the paralyzed victim exudes a carrion stench in a 10-foot radius that causes retching and nausea. Those within this area who fail to save vs. poison will make their attacks with a -2 penalty until the spell reaches the end of its duration.

The material component for this spell is a small scrap of cloth taken from the clothing of a ghoul or a pinch of earth from a ghoul's lair.

Ice Knife (Evocation)

Range: Special

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: Neg

This spell fires a dagger of ice at the target. The caster makes a normal attack roll as if attacking with a missile weapon, factoring in the range from the attacker to the target (the ice knife has a long range of 30 yards, a medium range of 20 yards, and a short range of 10 yards). A successful hit causes 2-8 (2d4) hit points of damage. If the ice knife misses its target, consult the rules for grenade-like missiles on pages 62-63 of the Dungeon Master's Guide to determine where it lands.

When an ice knife strikes a solid object or a creature, the knife shatters, releasing a wave of numbing cold. All creatures within a 5-foot radius must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or suffer 1-4 hit points of cold damage and become numb for 1-3 rounds. Numbed creatures have their movement rates reduced by half and their chance to hit reduced by 2. Proximity to major sources of heat, such as a roaring bonfire, improves a creature's saving throw by +2.

An ice knife that misses or is lost cannot be picked up by the caster (or anyone else) and thrown again. If the ice knife is touched, it instantly shatters, releasing a wave of cold as described above. If a lost ice knife is not touched, it melts away in a pool of water 1 round after it was originally created; this melting occurs regardless of the environmental temperature.

The material components for this spell are a drop of water from melted snow and a tiny silver dagger.

Vocalize (Alteration)

Range: Touch

Components: S, M

Duration: 5 rounds

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One spell-casting creature

Saving Throw: None

This spell allows the recipient to cast spells that normally require a verbal component without the caster needing to make a sound. Such spells must be cast within the duration of the vocalize spell. This spell is also useful in situations where quiet is desired, or when the recipient is under the influence of a silence spell.

Vocalize does not negate a silence spell, but merely offsets it for the purpose of spell casting; if a spell caster under the effect of vocalize casts a spell that has some audible effect, that sound will be masked for as long as silence remains in force. Vocalize does not affect normal vocal communication.

The material component for this spell is a small golden bell without a clapper

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Third-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Third-Level Spells

Bone Club (Enchantment, Necromancy)

Range: 0

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One bone

Saving Throw: None

A wizard can use this spell to enchant a bone, causing it to become a magical club. This magical weapon acts as a club +4 against undead, inflicting 5-10 (1d6 +4) hit points of damage, and a club +1 against all other opponents, inflicting 2-7 (1d6 + 1) hit points of damage. The bone can be from any animal, providing the bone normally could be wielded as a club; for instance, a human femur could be enchanted by this spell, but a skull could not. At the end of the spell's duration, the bone club reverts to a normal bone.

If the proficiency rules are being used, characters with a weapon proficiency with a club also have a profiency with a bone club. Those wielding a bone club without the club profiency suffer the penalties described on page 52 of the Player's Handbook.

The material components for this spell are an appropriately-sized bone and a pinch of dirt from a grave

Delay Death (Enchantment, Necromancy)

Range: 30 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

This spell enables one person or creature to postpone death. If delay death is cast before the indicated creature or person reaches 0 hit points, he is able to fight, cast spells, communicate, and take all other normal actions until he reaches -10 hit points. However, from the time he reaches 0 hit points until he is reduced to -10 hit points, the affected person or creature makes all attack rolls and saving throws at a -2 penalty, and his movement rate is reduced by half.

When the subject reaches -10 hit points, he is dead and delay death is no longer in effect. Note that the spell has a limited duration; if the spell expires after the affected subject has reached 0 hit points but before he has been reduced to -10 hit points, the subject dies instantly. A deceased subject previously under the effect of delay death can be raised normally by raise dead and similar spells.

The material component for this spell is a chip from a tombstone or a sliver of wood from a coffin

Hovering Skull (Necromancy)

Range: Special

Components: V, S

Duration: 2 rounds/level

Casting Time: 4

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: None

This spell creates a glowing human skull with sharp fangs. The skull hovers about a foot above the caster's shoulder; as the caster moves, the skull hovers along with him. If the caster stops moving and concentrates, he can mentally command the hovering skull to move in any direction within a 30- foot radius.

The caster can see through the skull's eyes as if they were his own; for instance, the hovering skull could be ordered to investigate a dark cave or peek over a high wall. Additionally, the caster can order the hovering skull to attack victims with its razor-sharp teeth. If the caster's concentration is interrupted while controlling the skull, the skull immediately drops to the ground (but it takes no damage). If the caster resumes concentration, he can continue to command the skull. The hovering skull has the same statistics as the caster, except the skull has 3 hit points and inflicts 1-6 hit points of damage with its bite. Attacks directed at the skull do not harm the caster, nor does damage directed at the caster affect the skull.

The material component for this spell is the tooth from a human skull.

Invisible Mail  (Evocation, Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: The caster

Saving Throw: None

A variation of the armor spell, this spell enables the caster to cover his body with an invisible suit of plate mail to temporarily raise his AC to 3. Its effects are not cumulative with other armor or magical protection (a character cannot improve his AC better than 3 through use of this spell), but Dexterity bonuses still apply.

For each level of the caster, the invisible mail absorbs 1 hit point of damage that would normally hit AC 3; however, the invisible mail offers no protection against magical weapons or attacks. When the invisible mail has absorbed as many hit points of damage as the wizard has levels of experience, the invisible mail disappears. The invisible mail does not hinder movement, nor does it add weight or encumbrance. It does not interfere with spell casting.

Example: A wizard with a normal AC of 10 has shielded himself with invisible mail. The first opponent attacks with a normal dagger; the attack is made against the AC 3 of the invisible mail. The attack is successful, causing 2 hit points of damage, but this damage is absorbed by the invisible mail and the wizard is unharmed. A second attack is made with a sword +1. The invisible armor offers no protection against this magical weapon, so the attack is made against the wizard's normal AC of 10.

The material component is a small fragment of plate mail.

Iron Mind (Abjuration)

Range: Touch

Components: S, M

Duration: 1 hour

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

The person or creature affected by iron mind is immune to all charm and hold spells for a full hour. Additionally, he automatically disbelieves all illusions cast by 3rd-level wizards (or their equivalent) or lower.

The material component for this spell is a small chunk of iron ore or any small item made of solid iron, such as a nail.

Pain Touch (Divination)

Range: Touch

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

 	Pain touch enables the caster to touch an opponent in such a way as to induce extreme pain. The spell works if the caster touches any exposed part of an opponent's body. The caster must be within arm's length of the opponent for the spell to work. The spell requires a normal attack roll.

The pain causes no damage, but for the next 1-4 rounds, the victim will be -2 on his chance to hit and his AC is worsened by 2. The caster can cast the spell and touch the victim in the same round. Pain touch is only effective on human, demihuman, and humanoid opponents.

The material components for this spell are a needle and the finger from a scorched glove.

Snapping Teeth (Conjuration, Alteration)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: 1 creature or object

Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster causes a set of teeth to appear on a person or object; the teeth appear in the exact location touched by the caster. The snapping teeth are contained in a mouth-like orifice about 6 inches in diameter and are capable of snapping at victims within 1 foot. A person or creature with the snapping teeth can cause them to snap at will, effectively giving him an extra attack per round. A normal attack roll is made, and a successful hit inflicts 1-4 hit points of damage. Note that the victim must be within range of the teeth and that normal facing considerations must be accounted for (for instance, snapping teeth in the back of a person's head can only attack victims that are behind the person).

Snapping teeth can also be placed on a non-living object, such as a tree or a door. In such cases, the snapping teeth are invisible until they make an attack. The snapping teeth will attack any victim that comes within 1 foot; they attack as a 4 HD monster, and each successful hit causes 1-4 hit points of damage. These attacks are automatic and are not controlled by the caster. Attacks cannot be directed against the snapping teeth, but dispel magic causes them to vanish.

The material component for this spell is a tooth from any carnivorous animal, such as a wolf, shark, or serpent.

Table of Contents


Fourth-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Fourth-Level Spells

Duplicate (Conjuration)

Range: Touch

Components: S, M

Duration: 1 hour/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One object

Saving Throw: None

This spell creates an exact copy of any single item the caster touches. The item to be copied must fit inside a 20-foot cube. The spell has no effect on living creatures, including undead, nor will it copy magical items. The duplicated item is identical to the original in every way--for instance, a duplicated sword can be wielded to inflict damage as a normal sword--but detect magic can reveal its true nature and dispel magic can cause it to disappear. The duplicated object exists for 1 hour/level of the caster, at which time it vanishes; permanency does not affect duplicated items.

The material component for this spell is a pinch of coal dust.

Fire Aura (Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 2 rounds/level

Casting Time: 4

Area of Effect: Caster

Saving Throw: Special

By means of this spell, the caster surrounds his body with an aura of magical green fire. The fire aura extends 1 foot from the caster's body and provides illumination in a 10-foot radius. The fire aura provides complete immunity to all forms of fire, both natural and magical; the flames can be extinguished only by dispel magic or a similar spell. Those touching the fire aura suffer 2-8 (2d4) hit points of damage; additionally, if the touched victim fails to make his saving throw, his body is set afire with green flames.

The flames persist for 2-8 (2d4) rounds and can be extinguished only by dispel magic or a similar spell. Each round the victim is engulfed in these flames, he suffers an additional 1-6 hit points of damage; the victim's attack rolls are made with a -2 penalty during this time.

The material components for this spell are a scrap of singed paper and a piece of flint

Halo of Eyes (Abjuration, Conjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 4

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: None

Halo of eyes creates a halo of functional eyeballs that sits atop the caster's head, enabling the caster to see in all directions at the same time. Additionally, these magical eyes all have infravison to a distance of 60 yards. The caster can see opponents on all sides of him, providing they are not invisible, and therefore can never by struck from behind or suffer a penalty for a back attack. Under normal conditions, the caster cannot be surprised. Attacks cannot be directed against the magical eyeballs, but their vision is obscured by blindness and other magical and natural effects that would hinder the wizard's normal sight.

The material components for this spell are the feather of an eagle and an eyelash from the corpse of any creature.

Otiluke's Dispelling Screen (Evocation, Abjuration)

Range: 5 yards/level

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: 20-foot square

Saving Throw: None

This spell creates a shimmering screen of violet energy in any shape the caster desires. Any creature passing through the screen is affected by dispel magic with the same level of effectiveness as that spell cast by the wizard.

The material components for this spells are a sheet of fine lead crystal and a chysolite gemstone worth 1,000 gp (both vanish after the spell is cast).

Wind Breath (Evocation)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Cone 60 yards long and 30 yards wide at the base

Saving Throw: 1/2

A variation of gust of wind, this spell allows the caster to fill his lungs with air and expel a powerful wind. The strength of this wind is about 5 miles per hour for every level of the caster. Those outside the area of effect do not notice the tremendous winds, though objects may be blown out of the spell's area into their path. The DM should determine the precise effects of the wind breath using the following parameters as guidelines.

If the wind breath is 30-50 miles per hour, there is a 10 percent chance that small boats capsize, a 1 percent chance that ships capsize, and a 10 percent chance that a man is knocked down. There is a 20 percent chance that branches snap, light articles are blown away, and tents and sails tear. Creatures caught in the cone of the wind breath suffer 1 hit points of damage from blown sand and grit.

If the wind breath is 50-70 miles per hour, there is a 70 percent chance that small boats capsize, a 20 percent chance that ships capsize, and a 50 percent chance that a man is knocked down. Trees bend and there is a 70 percent chance that branches snap, and a 20 percent chance that a trunk snaps. Medium-sized articles are blown away, and there is a 50 percent chance that tents and sails are torn, and a 40 percent chance that shacks are blown down. Creatures caught in the cone of the wind breath suffer 1-4 hit points of damage from sand and grit. Flying creatures are blown back 10-40 (10d4) feet.)

If the wind breath is 70 miles per hour or more, there is a 100 percent chance that small boats capsize, a 70 percent chance that ships capsize, and a 70 percent chance that a man is knocked down and blown 10-40 (10d4) feet to suffer 1-6 hit points of damage per 10 feet blown. There is a 70 percent chance that tree trunks snap, and a 100 percent chance that branches are ripped from trees. Heavy articles are blown away, medium articles are ripped from fastenings, and tents and sails have a 70 percent chance of being destroyed. There is a 20 percent chance that common buildings are blown down and a 60 percent chance that shacks are flattened. Creatures caught in the cone of the wind breath suffer 1-8 hit points of damage from blown objects. Flying creatures are blown back 50-100 (40+10d6) feet.

The material component for this spell is a handmade silk fan with a value of at least 1 gp.

Table of Contents


Fifth-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Fifth-Level Spells

Force Shapechange (Necromancy)

Range: 10 yards/level

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 1

Area of Effect: One creature/level

Saving Throw: 1/2

With this spell, the caster can force any shapechanger or magic-wielder using any form of a shapechanging spell to instantly revert to his true form (or his most common form). To use the spell, the caster points at creatures he knows or believes to be shapechangers. If the creatures are indeed shapechangers, they must make a successful saving throw or immediately revert to their true form and suffer 3-30 (3d10) hit points of damage from the wracking pain caused by the forced change. The change takes a full round, during which time a victim can take no other actions. If the saving throw was successful, the victim does not change form, but still suffers half damage (2d10/2).

The material components for this spell are a hair from the hide of any lycanthrope and a live butterfly, released when the verbal component is uttered.

Invulnerability to Normal Weapons (Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 2

Area of Effect: 5-foot radius

Saving Throw: None

This spell creates an immobile, faintly shimmering magical sphere around the caster that cannot be penetrated by non-magical blunt weapons, edged weapons, or missile weapons. The caster can use these weapons from inside the sphere to attack opponents normally. Spells can also be cast through the sphere. The sphere can be negated by dispel magic.

The material components for this spell are a piece of a broken non-magical weapon and a scale from a dragon

Know Value (Divination)

Range: 10 yards

Components: V, M

Duration: Instantaneous

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: 10-foot cube

Saving Throw: None

 	Know value enables the caster to know the total value of all coins, gems, and jewelry within the area of effect, within the limits that follow.

The items must be clearly visible. They cannot be concealed on people, hidden in a chest, or buried in the ground. The items must also be contained within an area no larger than a 10-foot cube, and this area can be no farther than 10 yards from the caster.

Further, know value will only reveal the value of 75% of the total number of objects in a treasure pile, up to a maximum of 10 pieces; the DM determines which pieces the spell affects, and the caster does not know which particular pieces have been appraised. The spell does not detect the presence or value of magical items, and it ignores the value of personal property, such as clothing, weapons, and other equipment. Know value does not reveal the number or nature of any type of hidden objects.

The material components for this spell are a copper piece and a phony gem

Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum (Alteration, Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 hour/level

Casting Time: 2 turns

Area of Effect: One room

Saving Throw: None

With this spell, privacy is ensured in a room of up to 1600 square feet (40 feet x 40 feet, or the equivalent). From the outside, the windows of the room appear to be dark and cloudy, preventing those with normal vision, infravision, or any other type of vision from seeing inside. Those inside the room can see out the windows as they normally would. No sounds of any kind can escape from the room. Scrying attempts, such as ESP, clairaudience, clairvoyance, and crystal balls cannot penetrate the room, and a wizard eye cannot enter. The caster can leave the room without affecting the spell.

The material components for this spell are a thin sheet of lead, a piece of opaque glass, a wad of cotton or cloth, and a pinch of powdered chrysolite.

Mummy Rot (Necromancy)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: One victim

Saving Throw: Special

This spell allows the caster to attack with a rotting touch similar to that of a mummy. If the caster touches a human, demihuman, or humanoid victim, the victim immediately loses 2-12 (2d6) hit points and is infected with a rotting disease which is fatal in 1-6 months. For each month the rot progresses, the victim permanently loses 2 points of Charisma. While infected, the victim recovers lost hit points at 10 percent of his normal rate.

The rotting disease can be cured only with a cure disease spell; cure wounds has no effect. A regenerate spell will restore damage but will not otherwise affect the course of the disease. If a victim makes a successful saving throw, he is not infected, but he still suffers 2-12 hit points of damage.

The material components for this spell are a piece of rotten fruit and a piece of a mummy's cloth wrapping.

Rary's Telepathic Bond (Divination, Alteration)

Range: 20 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 2 turns per level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Two or more creatures

Saving Throw: None

With this spell, the caster forms a telepathic bond between two or more creatures with Intelligence of 6 or higher. The bond can be established only between willing creatures who are within 20 yards of each other. The creatures need not speak the same language to communicate via the bond. The bond can be placed upon one creature for every three levels of the caster; therefore, a 9th-level caster can forge a bond among three creatures. The bonded creatures can remain in mental contact as long as they remain on the same plane of existence. If either creature enters a different plane, the spell is terminated.

Rary's telepathic bond can be cast only once to affect a single pair of subjects. However, if the caster is able to cast the spell twice, the same subjects can be affected again. Example: A wizard can cast telepathic bond twice. The first casting links Subject A to Subject B. The second casting can affect Subject A again, linking him with Subject C.

The material components for this spell are two pieces of eggshell; the pieces must be from the eggs of two different species of egg-laying creature.

Throbbing Bones (Necromancy)

Range: 10 yards

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: 1/2

This spell causes the bones of the affected creature to throb and pulsate inside his body. The spell can be cast upon any single living creature or person within the caster's range, providing the creature has a physical form and has bones inside its body; for instance, throbbing bones will not affect insects, ghosts, or worms.

For the duration of the spell, the affected creature's AC is worsened by 2, its movement rate is halved, and all its attacks are made with a -2 penalty. Additionally, it suffers 1-4 hit points of damage per round; this damage is halved if the creature makes a successful saving throw. However, a successful saving throw has no affect on the movement, attack, and AC penalties.

The material components for this spell are both pieces of a small bone that has been snapped in half

Wall of Bones (Conjuration, Necromancy)

Range: 60 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 10-foot square/level;96-inch thickness/level

Saving Throw: None

This spell causes a wall of bones to erupt from the earth in whatever shape the caster desires within the limits of the area of effect. The wall is a random construction of bones from many types of creatures. The wall need not be vertical, but it must rest upon a firm foundation or it will collapse. Since the wall has many small openings and gaps, it provides only 50 percent cover. Missiles can easily be fired from behind the wall, and creatures of small size (less than 4 feet tall) can wriggle through openings in the wall at the rate of 10 feet per round. However, the wall has many sharp edges and creatures wriggling through it suffer 1-8 hit points of damage per 10 feet traveled.

If the spell is cast in an area occupied by creatures, the wall of bones appears everywhere except where the creatures stand. Creatures in the affected area suffer an immediate 2-16 (2d8) hit points of damage when the wall appears. The wall can be smashed by creatures wielding blunt weapons with a Strength of 18 or greater. Every 10 hit points of damage causes a 5 foot x 5 foot x 6 inch section of the wall to collapse. The wall of bones is unaffected by animate dead.

The material component for this spell is the branch of a withered tree taken from a cemetery

Table of Contents


Sixth-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Sixth-Level Spells

Blackmantle (Necromancy, Enchantment)

Range: 60 yards

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 15-foot radius

Saving Throw: Neg

.

Blackmantle creates a shimmering aura around all creatures within the affected area that negates all healing and regeneration, both natural and magical. For instance, a potion of healing has no effect on a creature under the influence of blackmantle, a troll cannot regenerate lost hit points, and cure light wounds is useless.

Blackmantle is negated for any target creatures who make successful saving throws. Otherwise, it persists for 1 turn per level of the caster. If the creatures are still alive at the end of the spell's duration, any active curative forces will operate normally; for instance, a ring of regeneration will resume its function. However, consuming a potion of healing or applying a staff of curing while blackmantle is in effect will have no affect when blackmantle wears off, since these types of magic work instantly. In such cases, the dose of potion of healing and the charge from a staff of curing are not only wasted, but the aura generated by blackmantle actually negates the potion of healing or the staff of curing, rendering it useless. If a potion of healing or staff of healing is applied after the spell wears off, the healing magic works normally.

The material component for this spell is a small mummified animal, such as a mouse or a toad

Dead Man's Eyes (Necromancy)

Range: Special

Components: S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: Special

Dead Man's Eyes causes the whites of the caster's eyes to turn black and his pupils to reshape themselves into small white skulls. The caster can affect one victim per round, providing the victim is within 3 feet of the caster and meets his gaze. Victims are affected as follows:

•	Victims with 2 Hit Dice or fewer (or victims of level 2 or lower) instantly die. No saving throw is allowed.

•	Victims with 2+ to 5 Hit Dice (or victims of level 3-5) instantly die unless they save vs. death magic at a -2 penalty. Those who succeed in their saving throws suffer 2-12 (2d6) hit points.

•	Victims with 5+ Hit Dice or more (or victims of level 6 or greater) suffer 2-12 (2d6) hit points of damage unless they save vs. death magic.

If the caster's gaze is reflected back on him (by a mirror, calm water, etc.), he must make a saving throw vs. spells or suffer the same effects as a 5+ Hit Dice victim. At the end of the spell's duration, there is a 5 percent chance that the caster will become blind for the next 5-10 (1d6 + 4 hours).

The material components for this spell are two eyeball-sized glass marbles. The marbles must be the same color as the caster's eyes

Dragon Scales (Abjuration)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: None

This spell causes the body of the caster (or any single person or creature touched by the caster) to become completely covered with dragon scales, effectively raising the subject's Armor Class by 2 for the duration of the spell; this modification is in addition to the subject's normal AC (for instance, if the subject's AC is 6, dragon scales raises it to 4).

The color of the dragon scales is the same as that of the scale used as the spell's material component; however, the color has no bearing on the effect of the spell. Dragon scales also temporarily reduces the subject's Charisma by 2 points.

The material component of a spell is a scale from any dragon.

Invulnerability to Magical Weapons (Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 3

Area of Effect: 5-foot radius

Saving Throw: None

This spell creates an immobile, faintly shimmering magical sphere around the caster that cannot be penetrated by magical blunt, edged, or missile weapons; all such weapons are harmlessly deflected (missile weapons strike the sphere, then immediately fall to the ground). However, the sphere offers no protection against magically-created creatures (such as golems) or from creatures whose attacks are magically based (such as the gaze of a medusa). The sphere offers no protection against spells such as magic missile, or spells that simulate the effects of weapons.

The caster can use magical weapons from inside the sphere to attack opponents normally. Spells can also be cast through the sphere. The sphere can be negated by dispel magic.

The material component for this spell is a piece of a broken magical weapon.

Tentacles (Conjuration, Alteration)

Range: 0

Components: V, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: The caster

Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster causes two 10-foot-long greenish tentacles to grow from his body. One tentacle grows on each side of the caster's body, centered between his armpit and his thigh. The caster can use the tentacles as normal appendages to grasp tools, use weapons, or help with climbing.

Each tentacle can make an attack, effectively giving the caster two extra attacks per round; a tentacle can strike to inflict 1-6 hit points of damage, or it can wield a sword, dagger, or other weapon (at the same ability of the caster). The flexible tentacles can easily reach victims on any side of the caster's body.

If an unarmed tentacle makes a successful strike against a victim who is man-sized or smaller (less than 7 feet tall), it also grabs and holds the victim to inflict an automatic 2-8 (2d4) hit points of damage in every subsequent round. To free himself, the victim must sever the tentacle; there is no way to loosen the grip other than severing the member, killing the caster, or negating the spell with dispel magic. A tentacle is severed if it takes 10 hit points of damage; damage directed at the tentacle has no adverse effects on the caster.

A caster with two intact tentacles adds a 40 percent bonus modifier to his climbing success rate (see page 122 of the Player's Handbook, ) and adds a 20 percent modifier if he has only one intact tentacle.

The material component for this spell is a dried tentacle from a small octopus

Table of Contents


Seventh-Level Spell (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Seventh-Level Spell

Zombie Double (Necromancy)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 turn

Area of Effect: Special

Saving Throw: None

 	This spell creates a ju-ju zombie duplicate of the caster. The zombie double has the same memories, consciousness, and alignment as the caster; essentially, the caster now exists in two bodies simultaneously. In all other respects, the zombie double is the same as a normal ju-ju zombie (AC 6; MV 9; HD 3+12; #AT 1; Dmg 3-12; SA strike as a 6 HD monster; SD immune to all mind-affecting spells, including illusions; immune to sleep, charm, hold, death magic, magic missiles, electricity, poisons, and cold-based spells; edged and cleaving weapons inflict normal damage while blunt and piercing weapons inflict half- damage; magical and normal fire inflicts half-damage); THAC0 16.

The zombie double cannot cast spells, but it can use any weapons that the caster can use. It is also able to climb walls as a thief (92 percent). The zombie double can be turned as a spectre. If it strays more than 30 yards from the caster, the zombie double becomes inactive and collapses to the ground; it becomes active again the instant the caster moves within 30 yards.

The material components for this spell are a bit of wax from a black candle and a lock of hair from the caster

Table of Contents


Eighth-Level Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Eighth-Level Spells

Defoliate (Necromancy)

Range: 30 yards

Components: S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 50-foot square/level

Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster causes all vegetation within the affected area to wither and die, crumbling into black ashes. All vegetation is affected, from the tallest tree to the tiniest blade of grass. Intelligent plant life, such as treants, are also destroyed. The power of a wish or its equivalent is required to restore the destroyed vegetation; otherwise, nothing can grow in the defoliated area for a full year. Note that since defoliate causes plants to crumble to ash, there is no danger of a creature being struck by a toppling tree; however, creatures hiding in trees will find themselves plummeting to the ground when this spell is cast.

The material components for this spell are the petal from a withered flower and a sliver of charred wood.

Fear Ward (Abjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 turn/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: 5 foot radius

Saving Throw: None

Fear ward creates an aura around the caster that makes him immune to all forms of fear, including that caused by dragons. Additionally, fear ward protects the caster from attacks by all forms of undead; the spell is equally effective against physical and magical attacks. Dispel magic has no effect on fear ward, but a wish will negate it.

The material components for this spell are the fangs of a spider and a hair from the head of a ghoul.

Shadow Form (Necromancy)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: The caster

Saving Throw: None

By means of this spell, the caster temporarily changes himself into a shadow. The caster gains the movement rate, Armor Class, hit dice, and all abilities of a shadow. His chilling touch (requiring a normal attack roll) inflicts 2-5 (1d4+1) hit points of damage on his victims as well as draining one point of Strength. Lost Strength returns in 2-8 (2d4) turns after being touched. If a human or demihuman victim is reduced to 0 hit points or 0 Strength by the caster in shadow form, the victim has lost all of his life force and is immediately drawn into the Negative Material Plane where he will forever after exist as a shadow.

All of the caster's weapons and equipment stay with him, but he is unable to use them while in shadow form. He is also unable to cast spells while in shadow form, but he is immune to sleep, charm, and hold spells, and is unaffected by cold-based attacks. He is 90 percent undetectable in all but the brightest of surroundings. Unlike normal shadows, a wizard in shadow form cannot be turned by priests. At the end of the spell's duration, there is a 5% chance that the caster will permanently remain as a shadow. Nothing short of a wish can return the caster to his normal form.

The material components for this spell are the shroud from a corpse at least 100 years old and a black glass marble.

Table of Contents


Chapter 9: Wizardly Lists (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Chapter 9: Wizardly Lists

This chapter contains a potpourri of ideas, items, and rule variations that can be incorporated into existing campaigns or used as springboards for new adventures

Table of Contents


Twenty-five Helpful Familiars (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Twenty-five Helpful Familiars

As explained in the 1st-level find familiar spell, summoned familiars are not restricted to the choices listed in the spell description. To expand the number of possibilities, substitute Table 17 below for the list on page 134 of the PH. If the find familiar spell is successful, the DM rolls percentile dice and consults this table to determine the results.

All details of the spell still apply as stated; if the roll indicates a creature not commonly found in the immediate area, the DM can roll again or simply choose a more appropriate creature from the list. The DM can also substitute different small animals suitable to the area; for instance, the DM might substitute a duck for a crow, a mink for a raccoon, or a bluebird for a raven. (In general, summoned creatures should have 1-4 hit points and, if able to make attacks, should be able to inflict no more than 1 or 2 hit points of damage per round. Armor Classes for creatures of this size range from 6-8.)

Table 17: Summoned Familiars

d100 Roll	Familiar
1-3	Bat
4-10	Cat
11-14	Chipmunk
15-18	Crow
19-22	Dog
23-24	Fox
25-26	Gull
27-30	Hawk
31-33	Hare
34-37	Lizard
38-40	Monkey
41-42	Mouse
43-44	Otter
45-46	Owl
47-48	Parrot
49-50	Raccoon
51-52	Rat
53-54	Rooster
55-57	Raven
58-59	Skunk
60-61	Snake
62-63	Squirrel
64-66	Toad
67-70	Weasel
71-74	Wolverine
75-00	No familiar
	available within
	spell range
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Five Unusual Sources For Spells (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Five Unusual Sources For Spells

When a wizard learns a new spell, he usually acquires it from a teacher, a discovered spell book, another wizard, or his own research. But there are many more ways to learn new spells--some of the more unusual possibilities are listed below (in all cases, the wizard must successfully learn a new spell once it is revealed to him)

1. Dragons

Most dragons are masters of magic. A friendly dragon might teach a wizard a new spell as a reward for helping him or as a bribe to leave him alone.

The DM should note that the magic of dragons is significantly different from the magic normally wielded by wizards, so it is unlikely that a wizard could learn to cast a spell in the same manner as a dragon; however, a dragon of exceptional intelligence might know the formula for a spell useable by humans (or know where to find it) and reveal the information to a wizard

2. Monuments

 	Ancient obelisks, monoliths, and other structures are occasionally inscribed with the formulas of spells. Locating such a monument can be an adventure in itself. For instance, a wizard who died thousands of years ago may be entombed in a pyramid in the heart of an unexplored jungle; prior to his death, the wizard inscribed the formulas of his spells on the walls of his tomb so he could have access to them in the afterlife

3. Other Planes

The alternate planes of existence are filled with an unending variety of weird phenomena, strange landmarks, and bizarre entities. A wizard might find a magic formula spelled out in giant runes stretched across an entire plane of the Abyss. Or he might stumble across a horde of ape-like creatures in the plane of Elysium chanting the formula of a spell. The inhabitants of the elemental plane of Fire might know the secrets of a variety of fire-related spells, while the occupants of the elemental plane of Earth might be willing to share the formulas for earth-related spells in exchange for a favor

4. Summoned Creatures

A creature summoned as a result of invisible stalker, monster summoning, or a similar spell might negotiate for his freedom by offering to teach the caster a spell or show him where to find a spell formula. If the summoned creature is exceptionally knowledgeable, it might be able to dictate a formula to the wizard; it might even be able to cause a spell formula to magically appear in his spell book (in which case, the wizard has his normal chance to learn it; if he fails, the spell formula disappears).

5. Gems, Crystals, and Mirrors

Magic-using creatures from other planes of existence sometimes use gems, crystals, or mirrors as substitutes for spell books to record the formulas of their spells. Although wizards from the prime material plane are ordinarily unable to use such items to record their own spells, a DM might allow that a wizard could stumble across such a gem or mirror; if the wizard studied the item, a cloud of mist might materialize inside it, containing the symbols of a spell formula

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Nine Magical Items That Have Not Yet Been Invented (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Nine Magical Items That Have Not Yet Been Invented

If your wizard is interested in researching new magical items and is looking for an unusual project, he might consider one of the choices listed below. All of these items have been proposed by wizards over the years, but none has yet been successfully researched. The DM and the player must establish the exact effects for these items as well as the details of the research. Keep in mind that if the research was easy, some other wizard would surely have completed it by now

1. Seeds of Wealth

These are seeds that grow trees that bear gems instead of fruit

2. Portable Bridge

This is a bridge that can be folded up and carried in a pocket. When unfolded, the bridge can span a river or chasm without the use of pillars or other supports. The portable bridge is as strong as a bridge made of stone

3. Iron Heart

This is a mechanical heart capable of replacing a damaged or aging human heart. No surgery is required; the mechanical heart is merely placed on the recipient's chest and it is absorbed into his body. Presumably, the mechanical heart would increase the owner's endurance and resistance to disease

4. Paper of Writing

Any words that the user speaks or thinks will magically appear in writing on this paper

5. Scope of Seeing

This is a portable viewing scope with unlimited range. No physical barriers block the view of a person using the scope of seeing. The scope enables the user to observe the details of the sun, the moon, and distant worlds. It also allows the user to see completely through the earth to observe locations on the opposite side

6. Liquid Iron

When kept inside a container, this substance remains liquid. When poured from the container, the liquid turns to iron. Before the iron hardens, it can be formed into any number of useful items

7. Cold Fire

This type of fire looks the same as normal fire, but it generates no heat. Cold fire would be useful for torches in cramped quarters, and also would be a safe light source for homes, since there would be no danger of accidental fires.

8. Dark Fire

The antithesis of cold fire, dark fire generates heat the same as normal fire, but it produces no light. With flames as black as shadows, dark fire would be useful in making campfires for soldiers or other travelers who did not wish their location to be revealed by bright flames

9. Mirror of Recall

Staring into this device enables the user to recall with precise detail any book he has read or any sight or conversation he has ever experienced

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Five Debilitating Afflictions (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Five Debilitating Afflictions

 	Following are several afflictions that affect only wizards. These afflictions can occur as a result of a curse, a side-effect of magical research, or a penalty from a wish. Assume that an affliction can strike at any time--short of a wish, there is no way a wizard can inoculate himself to prevent the onset of these afflictions.

Unlike some organic diseases, suffering from one of these afflictions does not render a caster immune to future bouts with one of these conditions. A spell caster who survives one of these diseases is equally as likely to suffer the disease again in the future as a caster who has never contracted the disease.

The DM can use these afflictions to temporarily handicap a powerful PC wizard or to liven up a dreary stretch of a campaign. Unless indicated otherwise, all afflictions can be cured by cure disease or a similar spell. Unless the DM decides that a particular affliction was a result of a magical attack or effect, dispel magic will not help.

1. Bertrek's Amnesia

 	Description: The wizard afflicted with Bertrek's Amnesia has trouble remembering all of the details of his memorized spells. Just as he attempts to cast the spell, he suddenly forgets a crucial element of its formula, and the spell fails to work. The onset of Bertrek's Amnesia is usually preceded by a day or two of mild headaches. The mild headaches persist as long as the wizard is afflicted with this condition.

Susceptibility: Bertrek's Amnesia can strike any wizard, but it seems to affect wizards with Intelligence scores of 14 or less.

Prognosis: A full day of bed rest usually cures this condition, presuming the wizard refrains from casting spells, studying texts, or engaging in other strenuous mental activities. Without rest, the affliction can persist indefinitely.

 	DM's Notes: When a wizard is afflicted with Bertrek's Amnesia, he must make an Intelligence Check when attempting to cast a spell. If the check is successful, the spell is cast normally. If he fails the check, the spell is lost in a fizzle of useless energy and is wiped clean from the memory of the caster until it can be rememorized.

After every full day of rest, the DM rolls 1d20 to see if the wizard is cured; if the roll is less than or equal to the wizard's Intelligence score, the wizard is cured. Otherwise, the wizard is automatically cured after he has been afflicted for 2-8 (2d4) days

2. Chronic Incandescence

Description: The wizard afflicted with chronic incandescence continually radiates light from his body. The glow is bright enough to penetrate any thickness of clothing and extends to a radius of 20 feet. The glow persists regardless of whether the wizard is resting, casting spells, or performing other actions.

The onset of chronic incandescence is usually preceded by a day or two of sporadic glowing, particularly while the wizard is asleep.

Susceptibility: Chronic incandescence can strike any wizard.

Prognosis: Darkness cast on the afflicted wizard sometimes cancels this condition. Dispel magic has also been known to work. Otherwise, the affliction usually passes within a few days.

DM's Notes: A wizard with this affliction glows as if affected by a 1st-level light spell. This does not affect his ability to cast spells, but he will find it difficult to hide from enemies. Cure disease and similar spells have no effect on chronic incandescence. If darkness, 15' radius is cast on the afflicted wizard, he can make a save vs. magic; if he fails the check, his condition is negated. Likewise, if he fails a check against dispel magic, his condition is cancelled. These spells can only be attempted once each on an afflicted wizard. The afflicted wizard cannot cast these spells on himself. If these spells are unavailable, or if he successfully saves in both cases, the condition disappears in 1-4 days

3. Conjuritis

Description: A wizard afflicted with conjuritis produces bizarre and unexpected effects when attempting to cast any conjuration or summoning spell. Usually, there is no warning of the onset of this affliction.

Susceptibility: Conjurers are the most likely wizards to be affected, but any wizard who knows one or more conjuration/summoning spells can be stricken with conjuritis.

Prognosis: Conjuritis is difficult to treat. Dispel magic has no effect on conjuritis, nor does cure disease or similar spells. Fortunately, conjuritis eventually clears up after running its course.

DM's Notes: When a wizard afflicted with conjuritis attempts to cast any conjuration/summoning spell, the DM rolls 1d20 and consults Table 18 for the result of the spell

Table 18: Conjuritis Results

d20	Result of
Roll	Conj. /Summ. Spell
1	The immediate area is filled with the sounds of thunder, while lightning flashes overhead. The thunder and lightning persist for 1-4 rounds, but have no effects on the characters or their abilities.
2	A plush toy animal 10-40 feet high appears in an area in front of the caster. The toy animal can be a rabbit, a dragon, a cow, or any creature of the DM's choice. The toy animal crumbles to dust immediately if it is touched or disturbed in any way.
3	Dozens of mushrooms of various sizes suddenly pop up everywhere within a 10-40 foot radius of the caster (this occurs even if the caster is indoors). Each mushroom has an image of the caster's smiling face on its cap. As soon as any of the mushrooms are touched, all of them crumble into dust.
4	The area within a 10-40 foot radius of the caster fills with multi-colored soap bubbles. On the side of each bubble is an image of the caster's smiling face.
5	The temperature within a 10-40 foot radius of the caster suddenly rises or drops (DM's choice) 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The change persists for 1-4 rounds, then the area reverts to its previous temperature.
6	The immediate area fills with the sounds of human shrieks and screams. There is no apparent source of the sounds. The screams persist for 1-4 rounds, then fade away.
7	The caster's flesh turns purple (or green or blue or any other color or combination of the DM's choice). The effect persists for 1-4 rounds, then the caster's flesh reverts to its normal color.
8	The area within a 50-foot radius of the caster is filled with a thin mist, light green in color (or light purple or light orange, or any other color of the DM's choice). The mist smells of cinnamon (or mint or rotten fish or any other aroma of the DM's choice). The mist dissipates in 1-4 rounds.
9	The area within a 50-foot radius of the caster abruptly turns pitch black, as if it were affected by a darkness spell. If the area was already dark, it abruptly becomes bright, as if affected by a light spell. This effect persists for 1-4 rounds.
10	An image of whatever the caster was attempting to conjure appears 10 feet in front of the caster, hovers in mid-air for a few seconds, then disappears. If the caster was attempting a spell that did not conjure or summon an item or creature, the hovering image is of the caster.
11-20	The caster's spell works normally.

A wizard probably will not know that he has conjuritis until he first experiences an unexpected result from a conjuration/summoning spell; (that is, when he first receives one of the results numbered 1-10 on Table 18.) After he experiences this first unexpected result, there are two ways he can be cured.

1. As soon as the wizard casts two consecutive conjuration/summoning spells with normal results (that is, the DM rolls 11-20 on Table 18), he is cured of the affliction.

2. As soon the wizard casts four normal conjuration/summoning spells (a result of 11-20 on Table 18), he is cured of the affliction; these spells need not be consecutive

4. Barlow's Blacksickness

 	Description: An extremely dangerous disease, blacksickness causes the afflicted wizard to weaken every time he attempts to cast a necromancy spell. In extreme cases, afflicted wizards have died from this disease. The affliction is accompanied by stomach cramps, blurred vision, and nightmares. Its onset is usually preceded by several days of nausea.

Susceptibility: Barlow's blacksickness primarily affects necromancers. It can also strike any wizard who knows and uses necromancy spells.

Prognosis: This is a difficult affliction to treat. Strangely, the very act of casting the spells associated with the disease also seems to help cure it. Otherwise, the affliction can linger anywhere from a few days to several weeks.

DM's Notes: A wizard afflicted with blacksickness risks suffering damage whenever he casts a necromancy spell. When an afflicted wizard casts a necromancy spell, he must make a Constitution Check, with the level of the spell used as a negative modifier. (For instance, if the wizard has a Constitution of 13 and casts a 4th-level necromancy spell, he adds 4 to his 1d20 roll when he makes his Constitution Check. ) If he passes the check, there are no ill effects. If he fails the check, he suffers 1-4 hit points of damage. Regardless of whether he fails his Constitution Check, the spell is cast normally.

There are two additional side-effects of blacksickness.

1. If the afflicted wizard suffers 6-10 hit points of damage in the same day as a result of failing Constitution Checks required for casting necromancy spells, he will experience wracking nightmares when he sleeps that night. Throughout the following day, he will experience blurred vision and stomach cramps, and will make all attack rolls at a -2 penalty. Cure disease or similar spells have no effect on this condition.

2. If the afflicted wizard suffers 11 or more hit points of damage in the same day as a result of failing Constitution Checks required for casting necromancy spells, he will immediately collapse. He will be unable to cast spells, engage in combat, or undertake any other strenuous activities for the next 24 hours. (He can still walk without assistance, but his movement rate is halved.)

Cure disease, dispel magic, and similar spells have no effect on blacksickness. Aside from a wish, there are two known cures.

1. The DM secretly rolls 2d6. This is the number of necromancy spells the afflicted wizard must cast in order to purge his system of the blacksickness. The necromancy spells can be of any level; for instance, if the wizard needs to cast four spells, they could all be 1st-level spells, they could all be 9th-level spells, or they could be any combination of necromancy spells from any level. Each time a necromancy spell is cast, the afflicted wizard must still make a Constitution Check and suffer the effects as described above. (Obviously, the wizard's health is safer if he refrains from casting more than one or two necromancy spells in the same day.)

The DM does not reveal to the wizard the total number of spells he needs to cast to cure himself--instead, the DM should tell the wizard that he's gradually getting better after he casts each necromancy spell. The DM can tell the wizard that he is cured after he has cast the last required spell, then has cast one subsequent necromancy spell that gives him no ill effects.

2. Blacksickness persists for 4-32 (4d8) days. The DM should determine the length of the affliction at its outset, but not reveal the information to the wizard. If the wizard has not yet cured himself, the affliction is over at the end of this period.

5. Immaterialism

Description: The wizard afflicted with immaterialism gradually fades away until his body is transparent, making him appear as if he were made of glass. In this condition, he is unable to fight, cast spells, or perform any other ordinary actions. The onset of immaterialism is preceded by a gradual lightening of the victim's skin color.

Susceptibility: Immaterialism usually strikes illusionists, but any wizard who knows or uses illusionist spells can be a victim.

Prognosis: If treated early, immaterialism can usually be cured with cure disease or a similar spell. However, the condition becomes harder to treat as it progresses. Untreated, immaterialism can last for several weeks.

DM's Notes: Immaterialism progresses over three distinct stages, each with different symptoms. The affliction can be cured at any stage.

1. In Stage One, the afflicted wizard's skin turns white, as if it had been bleached. He suffers a -1 penalty to his Charisma, but there are no other ill effects. At this stage, immaterialism can be cured with cure disease or a similar spell; no saving throw is required. Otherwise, Stage One persists for 2-8 (2d4) days.

2. In Stage Two, the afflicted wizard's skin remains white, but his body has the consistency of firm gelatin. He continues to suffer the -1 penalty to his Charisma. His natural Armor Class is also increased to 7. Because of this improved AC, some afflicted wizards allow their condition to advance to Stage Two before attempting a cure. At this stage, immaterialism can be cured with cure disease, but the afflicted wizard must make a saving throw vs. spells; if the wizard succeeds in his saving throw, he resists cure disease and remains afflicted with immaterialism. Untreated, Stage Two persists for 2-8 (2d4) days.

3. In Stage Three, the wizard and all of his gear become insubstantial; he appears as if he were made of glass, but he has no substance. The afflicted wizard cannot cast spells, engage in combat, or take any other action aside from moving and speaking. He has a -4 penalty to his Charisma. However, the wizard is affected only by magical or special attacks, including weapons of +1 or better (such attacks are made against the wizard's normal AC). The afflicted wizard is able to pass through small holes or other narrow openings as long as Stage Three persists. At this stage, immaterialism cannot be cured with cure disease or any other spell short of a wish. Stage Three persists for 2-8 (2d4) days

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Nine Principles of Conduct For Academy Graduates (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Nine Principles of Conduct For Academy Graduates

As a condition of graduation in many magical academies, a new wizard is obligated to promise to uphold the academy's principles of conduct. A sampling of these principles are listed below.

Not all academies subscribe to all of these principles, while others might include principles other than the ones given here. Further, these principles primarily apply to academies who accept students of good and lawful alignments; the principles of evil and lawless academies will probably be significantly different from these. The DM must decide which principles apply to specific academies and what penalties--if any--might apply to a graduate who violates them.

1. The wizard will operate discreetly. He will reveal the secrets of his teachings to no one.

2. The wizard will operate within the laws of his country.

3. The wizard will meet all of his expenses from his own funds. He will not accept charity.

4. The wizard will live in seclusion. He will strive to minimize his social contact with non-wizards.

5. The wizard will minimize his contact with kings, princes, and other rulers.

6. The wizard's home will include at least one room reserved exclusively for research and study.

7. The wizard will be patient. He will persevere in the face of adversity.

8. The wizard will not attempt to circumvent accepted magical procedures.

9. The wizard will strive to add to the existing body of magical knowledge through original research.

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Six Common Alchemical Processes (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Six Common Alchemical Processes

While the creation of potions and other magical substances often involves a complex series of laboratory techniques, there are a number of basic processes common to most experiments.

1. Calcination

This is the process of reducing substances (usually minerals and metals) to ash by first crushing or grinding them to powder, then subjecting them to high heat.

2. Sublimation

This is the process of heating a solid substance until it is vaporized, then quickly cooling the vapor to return it to a solid form.

3. Distillation

This is the process of boiling a liquid until it turns to vapor, then cooling the vapor until it condenses back into a liquid, thus purifying the liquid.

4. Absorption/Adsorption

This is a method for purifying gases or liquids by exposing them to charcoal particles or other filtering substances; the impurities are attracted to the particles, thus purifying the gas or liquid. If the impurities are actually taken inside the particles, then absorption has taken place. If the impurities remain on the surface of the particles, then adsorption has occurred.

5. Flame Test

This is a method of identifying unknown substances by holding them in a hot flame. The color of the flame indicates the nature of the substance; for instance, a green flame indicates the presence of copper.

6. Chromatography

This is a simple method for analyzing certain types of unknown substances. The substance is first dissolved in water or other liquid. A sample of the liquid then is poured into a glass tube lined with filter paper, and a solvent is added. Because the components of the substance move through the filter at different speeds, each will appear as a different colored band in the tube.

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Eleven Useful Additions to a Wizard's Laboratory (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Eleven Useful Additions to a Wizard's Laboratory

A wizard's laboratory typically includes a variety of books, crucibles, flasks, jars, tripods, herbs, and even a skeleton or two. Following are several less common but extremely useful items that might be found in an especially well-furnished laboratory. The cost of each item is given in parentheses,

1. Granite Table Top

This is an ordinary desk with a top made of polished granite or quartzite to resist staining and damage from acids and other potent substances. (150 gp)

2. Glass Mask

This is a face mask made of glass designed to protect the wizard from inhaling poisonous fumes and to protect his face from splashed chemicals. (10 gp)

3. Alchemist's Globe

This 3-foot-diameter glass globe separates into two sections. When assembled, the sections form a tight seal that prevents air from entering. Items and substances can be locked inside the globe to isolate them from outside conditions. Small and large globes are available. (150-250 gp)

4. Athanor

A small furnace consisting of an oven and a deep pan of sifted ashes. Substances to be heated are placed in a sealed container and covered in ashes for slow, even heating. (80 gp)

5. Descensory Furnace

This is a medium-sized furnace primarily used for heating liquids. The liquid is poured down a funnel on the top which runs into a container in the belly of the furnace. (100 gp)

6. Heat Bath

This is a small furnace holding a deep pan of water containing metal rings to hold variously sized flasks and tubes. The substance to be dissolved is placed in a glass tube, which in turn is placed in an appropriately-sized ring in the pan. The furnace gradually heats the water and thus the substance. (75 gp)

7. Dung Bed

This item consists of a box made of glass or other non-flammable material with a tight-fitting lid. The box is filled with hot dung or clean, dry sand. Treated substances are placed in the dung bed to keep them warm. (25 gp)

8. Analytical Balance

An extremely precise scale for weighing solid materials, the balance is sensitive enough to distinguish a blank piece of paper from a paper with writing on it. To keep it dust-free, the balance is covered with a glass case. (400 gp)

9. Burette

This is a thick tube with a valve on one end used to measure liquids precisely. (1 gp)

10. Filter Paper

This is a specially treated paper that filters solids from liquids. A funnel is lined with the paper, then the liquid to be filtered is poured in the funnel. Solid material will not pass through the paper. (1 gp/10 sheets)

11. Hand Centrifuge

This is a machine consisting of several rings for holding test tubes with a hand pump on the top. Test tubes filled with liquids are placed in the rings, then the wizard rapidly works the pump, causing the tubes to spin in a circle. The spinning causes the heavier substances in the tubes to sink to the bottom, while the lighter substances remain near the top of the tube. (100 gp)

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Four Prerequisites For Admission to an Academy of Magic (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Four Prerequisites For Admission to an Academy of Magic

While some wizards are self-taught and some acquire their skills from a private tutor, many wizards learn the art of magic at a training academy. Most large cities have such academies; some specializing in a particular school of magic, while others offer training in all of the schools. Usually, there are a minimum of three requirements for admission to an academy.

1. Sponsorship

All applicants to an academy must be recommended by a sponsor known by one or more of the faculty members. Exceptions are made if an applicant is an orphan or demonstrates extraordinary aptitude, but in these cases, a faculty member must agree to sponsor the applicant; the faculty sponsor is then personally held responsible for the applicant's failure or success.

2. Personal Interview

Because training a wizard requires a major investment of time and effort, academies screen their applicants carefully to make certain that a prospective student is sufficiently dedicated to persevere through years of rigorous education. Typically, a panel of faculty members interviews each applicant individually, quizzing him at length about his background, his interests, and his reasons for wanting to become a wizard. The panel then votes in secret; a single negative vote results in the rejection of the applicant.

3. Entrance Examination

Following a prospective student's successful interview, he is given a battery of examinations to measure his aptitude in a variety of academic areas. The student must demonstrate a basic competence in philosophy, literature, and history, and exceptional skills in writing, science, and mathematics. He must also pass a physical examination to make sure he is in good health.

4. Tuition Fees

If a prospective student passes his entrance examinations, he must then make arrangements with the academy administration to pay tuition fees. The tuition fee ranges from 5-20 gp per day, depending on the academy's reputation. The tuition can be paid daily, weekly, or monthly, but it must be paid in advance. Failure to pay tuition results in immediate suspension, unless the student has made previous arrangements with the administration.

The tuition covers the cost of books, laboratory fees, faculty salaries, and room and board, but it does not include expenses for spell components, research materials, or damage caused by the student in his research. Occasionally, scholarships are available for unusually promising students.

After a student is admitted to an academy, he must undergo a probationary period lasting a minimum of six months. During this time, the student's classroom performance is evaluated on a weekly basis and his behavior both on and off campus is closely monitored. If the student is not performing adequately in the opinion of any faculty member or adminstrator, he may be dimissed from the academy. Except in the most extreme circumstances, he is not eligible to apply for readmission. No amount of the tuition paid prior to his dismissal is refundable.

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Nineteen Courses in a Typical Academy Curriculum (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Nineteen Courses in a Typical Academy Curriculum

The course of study varies from academy to academy, but most include the classes described below. Usually, all of these classes are required to graduate, but the DM might decide to vary them according to the needs of a specific student or the educational philosophy of a particular faculty. 	The length of time necessary to graduate also varies from school to school, depending on the student's aptitude, the intensity of the training, and the quality of the faculty, but generally, four to six years of full-time study are required to graduate from an accredited academy. This period can be lengthened by as much as two to four additional years if the student specializes in a particular school.

A student usually takes four to six courses per quarter, with each quarter lasting three months. A minor course, such as Survey of Literature, might last only a single quarter, while a major course, such as Spell Tutorial, might be taken every quarter until the student graduates. An average course lasts one to two hours per day, four to six days per week.

The curriculum of a typical academy of magic includes the following courses.

1. Physical Training: Various exercises and activities to improve physical fitness, with an emphasis on dexterity training for manipulation of spell components.

2. Philosophy of Magic: The study of logical methods of thinking with applications to practical problems of spell use. Exploration of metaphysics, theory of knowledge, and ethics.

3. Basic Astrology: The relationship of the stars, planets, and other heavenly bodies to magical processes. Topics include lunar phases, astral movement, and the influence of deities.

4. Spell Theory: How spells function; spell interaction with physical laws.

5. Fundamentals of Meditation: Basic techniques for reaching higher levels of intellectual perception. Topics include transcendence, self-actualization, and dream analysis.

6. Language Instruction: Grammar, phonetics, and conversational idioms of human, humanoid, and demihuman languages.

7. History of Magic: Overview of wizards and magic throughout the ages with an emphasis on historical breakthroughs in spell research.

8. Magic and Society: The wizard as viewed from a cultural perspective. A survey of societal relationships and cross- cultural comparisons of wizards around the world(s).

9. Power Thinking: Emphasis on increasing the student's understanding of thinking as a process to increase the strength of his cognitive skills. Topics include creativity, memory, concentration, and problem solving.

10. Survey of Literature: An introduction to the study of magic literature, with an emphasis on analysis. A broad range of authors from a variety of cultures and historical periods are examined in detail.

11. Library Instruction: A survey of research techniques, including classification systems, spell indexing, basic reference books, and assembling a personal library.

12. Fundamentals of Spell Transcription: Topics include penmanship techniques, paper and ink selection, proper structure, revision, basic calligraphy, and proofreading.

13. Principles of Casting: An introduction to basic casting techniques of low-level spells. Includes component theory, spell design, and safety procedures. Instruction for specific schools of magic are available for prospective specialists.

14. Spell Tutorial: An individualized course tailored to meet the needs of individual students. Students can concentrate on improving skills in specific schools of magic or explore techniques from all schools.

15. Spell Seminar: A discussion group addressing topics of special interest to students, with an emphasis on problem areas. Students are expected to conduct demonstrations for the group, with criticism periods to follow.

16. Spell Practicum: Addressing low-level spells, the practicum provides students with the opportunity to practice their skills in both a laboratory setting and in the field. Emphasis is on creative application.

17. Formula Analysis: Theory of spell formulas, emphasizing techniques applicable to original research. Topics include elementary spell functions, tabular and graphical presentation, variability, and metaphysical equations. Basic alchemical principles are covered in subsequent sessions of this course.

18. Laboratory Techniques: Practical application of the principles covered in Formula Analysis. Topics include herbalism, alchemical reactions, natural and unnatural metabolism, and basic scientific procedures (all alchemical processes described earlier in this chapter).

19. Introduction to 1st-Level Magic: 1st-level spell instruction. Includes casting techniques, practical applications, and general theory. Individualized instruction available.

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Nine Organizations For Wizards (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Nine Organizations For Wizards

Wizards are most comfortable in the company of their fellow practitioners, especially those with whom they share common interests, and often form their own associations and organizations. A few such groups are listed below. The DM is encouraged to design variations of these groups; for instance, a Necromancy Syndicate, a variation of the Diviners Syndicate, might exist in a particular DM's campaign world.

Each organization's description includes the following information:

Description: The purpose of the group.

Membership: The types of wizards belonging to the group.

New Member Requirements: Conditions a prospective member is expected to meet in order to join the group. Usually, this consists of paying an entrance fee or being sponsored by a current member.

Annual Dues: The fee that a member must pay each year to remain an active member.

Benefits: The advantages of being a member.

 The Brotherhood of Alchemy

Description: This group consists of wizards whose primary interest is alchemical research, particularly the research of new magical potions. The group compiles and exchanges information about their current projects, with the implicit understanding that such information will not be shared with outsiders. Violation of this rule results in immediate expulsion from the Brotherhood.

Membership: The bulk of the members are transmuters, though a few enchanters and invokers are also included.

New Member Requirements: New members must pay an entrance fee of 100 gp and show evidence of original magical item research within the last year.

Annual Dues: 20 gp

Benefits: The Brotherhood can help its members obtain hard-to-find research supplies and laboratory equipment. They can also offer assistance to members who have reached a dead end in their research.

Legal Defense Front

Description: This group provides legal defense to wizards unjustly accused of criminal activity. Their services include legal representation, financial support, and personal counseling.

Membership: Any wizard of lawful good alignment can be a member.

New Member Requirements: A new member must be sponsored by a current member and must pay an entrance fee of 200 gp. The entrance fee may be waived on a majority vote.

Annual Dues: 50 gp

Benefits: If a member is accused of a crime, the Front will provide 1,000 gp or more toward his defense. The Front can also provide expert witnesses and legal representation if necessary. Their counseling service advises members about the acceptance of magic-users in various cities and cultures, giving special attention to places where magic-users are routinely persecuted and imprisoned for minor infractions of the law.

The Silver Swan Club

Description: Primarily a social organization for unmarried wizards, the Silver Swan Club holds regular dances, picnics, and other social events for its members. The highlight of the year is the annual Harvest Moon Festival, when the club stages an all-night party in a rented castle.

Membership: All wizards are welcome, but the membership comprises mainly young, low-level wizards.

New Member Requirements: A new member pays an entrance fee of 20 gp.

Annual Dues: 5 gp

Benefits: The club provides its members with excellent opportunities to meet potential friends and mates.

Wizards' Liberation Society

Description: This organization seeks to further the interests of wizards through political pressure on local and national governments. Their methods include negotiation, demonstrations, and one-on-one lobbying. Some factions are rumored to use violence to underscore their messages.

Membership: All wizards are eligible.

New Member Requirements: A new member must be sponsored by a current member and pay an entrance fee of 50 gp. The fee is waived if the prospective member has exploitable political connections (for instance, if he is related to a government official).

Annual Dues: 10 gp

Benefits: The Society can exert considerable influence on governments to adopt laws beneficial to wizards. The Society can also put its members in contact with government officials and assist them in working with government bureaucracies.

Foes of the Wand

 	Description: This is an organization of purists who adamantly oppose the use of magical wands or any other magical devices. Such devices are perceived to be a threat to the craft of magic; only the use of spells is acceptable to the Foes of the Wand. If a member is ever caught using a magical item, he is immediately expelled.

Membership: All wizards are eligible, but the membership is primarily composed of older mages of higher levels.

New Member Requirements: The only requirement for a prospective member is the donation of a magical item to the Foes. The Foes then destroy the item in a solemn ceremony, after which the prospective member vows never to use a magical item again.

Annual Dues: None

Benefits: Once per year, each member can exchange a magical item for a spell of comparable power. The magical item is destroyed, then the Foes allow the member to copy one spell (of their choice, not the member's) from their spell books.

Diviners Syndicate

Description: More of a business than a fraternal organization, the Diviners Syndicate sells advice, predictions, and omen interpretations to members of the aristocracy. Their fees are expensive, but because the syndicate pools the talents of a sizeable number of skilled wizards, their advice and predictions are extremely accurate.

Membership: Only diviners of eighth lever or higher are eligible.

New Member Requirements: The prospective member must pay an entrance fee of 500 gp and bring at least one new client to the syndicate.

Annual Dues: There are no annual dues. However, to remain in good standing, a member must spend a minimum of eight weeks per year working exclusively for the syndicate.

Benefits: Members in good standing split the syndicate's profits at the end of the year. A member's annual share is usually 5,000-30,000 (1d6 x 5,000) gp.

Center for Monster Control

Description: This organization compiles information about magical monsters and makes this information available to its members at no charge.

Membership: All wizards who have first-hand knowledge of magical monsters are eligible.

New Member Requirements: A new member must pay an entrance fee of 10 gp. Additionally, the prospective member must have first-hand knowledge of a magical monster or a monster wielding magical powers (such knowledge is usually acquired as a result of a battle). The membership votes on whether the prospective member's knowledge is of sufficient usefulness to the organization to allow him membership.

Annual Dues: None if the member attends all bi-monthly meetings. The member may be assessed a fine if too many meetings are missed without good reason.

Benefits: The organization supplies information to its members about magical monsters, including their abilities, their weaknesses, and suggested strategies for defeating or avoiding them.

League of Extraplanar Travelers

Description: Similar to the Center for Monster Control, this organization compiles information about alternate planes of existence and makes this information available to its members at no charge.

Membership: All wizards who have visited one or more alternate planes of existence are eligible.

New Member Requirements: A new member must pay an entrance fee of 20 gp. Additionally, the prospective member must have proof of a visit to at least one alternate plane of existence. The membership votes on whether the prospective member's knowledge of that plane is of sufficient usefulness to the organization to allow him membership.

Annual Dues: None if the member attends all bi-monthly meetings. A fine may be assessed if a member misses too many meetings without good reason.

Benefits: The organization supplies information to its members about the alternate planes, including inhabitants, physical laws, and how spell casting is affected (the DM should consult Chapter 6 for details about magic in other planes--the league has all of this information available to its members).

Fellowship of Sages

Description: This is an organization of sages who are expert in a wide variety of subjects. The sages charge for their advice, giving a percentage of their fees to the Fellowship for its upkeep.

Membership: All types of wizards belong to the fellowship, each with one or more areas of expertise.

New Member Requirements: A prospective member must pay an entrance fee of 100 gp, plus he must have a nonweapon proficiency in one or more of the fields of study listed on Table 61 of the Dungeon Master's Guide. If the wizard is a recognized authority in one of the fields of study not available as a nonweapon proficiency in the DM's campaign, he can still be admitted to the fellowship with the DM's permission.

Annual Dues: None. However, each member must provide 15 percent of the fees he charges for his sage advice to the fellowship.

Benefits: As long as a member spends a minimum of eight weeks per year working exclusively for the syndicate, he has access to the advice of the other members at no charge. If he fails to spend the minimum of eight weeks per year, he must pay their normal fees. Advice is given according to the rules for sages on pages 106-107 of the DMG. However, the chances listed on Table 61 (page 107 of the DMG ) of finding a sage in the fellowship who is expert in a given field are doubled; for instance, there is a 20 percent chance of finding an expert in alchemy. When using the Sage Modifiers table (Table 62 of the DMG ), assume that a fellowship sage always has access to a complete library.

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400 Fantastic Materials (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
400 Fantastic Materials

Occasionally, the DM will need to introduce a fantastic magical material into his campaign. Such a material might be required as an ingredient for a PC wizard's magical research (especially if the DM is using the fantastical approach to magical fabrication described on page 84 of the Dungeon Master's Guide), it might be the focal point of a quest, or it might be a necessary component to remove a curse.

If the DM has no specific material in mind, he can generate one by rolling 1d20 two times on Table 19. The first die roll selects an element from Category A; the second die roll selects an element from Category B. The selected elements become part of this phrase: "The (Category A) of a (Category B). " For instance, if the first die roll is 3 and the second die roll is 5, the fantastic material is "the breath of a butterfly."

If he desires, the DM can simply pick elements from each category to form specific materials. He can also substitute similar elements for the choices in Category B. For instance, he might substitute "bumblebee" for "butterfly" (so the example above becomes "the breath of a bumblebee") or "diamond" for "stone."

If random rolls produce results that seem inappropriate or frivolous (such as "the breath of a stone"), the DM can roll again for either category or substitute any category choice he wishes. 	Unless the DM has a specific meaning in mind, the players must discover the precise meaning of a fantastic material or the means to produce or locate it. Discovering the meaning of a fantastic material can easily become the premise for a new adventure.

Table 19: Random Generation of Fantastic Materials

	D20 Roll	Category A	Category B
	1	song	stone
	2	dream	flower
	3	breath	meadow
	4	memory	child
	5	heart's desire	butterfly
	6	teardrop	mountain
	7	strength	grain of sand
	8	smile	snowflake
	9	blessing	flickering candle
	10	touch	widow
	11	courage	eagle
	12	scent	tombstone
	13	whisper	dragon
	14	kiss	skeleton
	15	shadow	mermaid
	16	wisdom	river
	17	secret	unicorn
	18	sorrow	goddess
	19	epitaph	giant
	20	gratitude	city

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Five Incredible Locations (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Five Incredible Locations

There are a vast number of magical places that are rumored to exist throughout the world; a few of them are listed below. Whether they actually exist remains to be discovered (and is up to the discretion of the DM), but the search for any one of them could be used as the basis for an adventure or a springboard for a campaign

The Island of Ghothar

This island is the former stronghold of the master conjurer Ghothar. Ghothar mysteriously vanished several centuries ago, and left the bulk of his magical treasures secured in a chamber in the deepest recesses of his island. Not only is the treasure cache rumored to be of incomparable value, it is also said to include one of Ghothar's spell books, containing the formulas for many high-level conjuration spells.

The Island of Ghothar is enchanted to continually drift in random directions at speeds up to 25 miles per hour. There have been no confirmed sightings in over a century, meaning that the island conceivably could have drifted anywhere in the world

About the Island

Refer to Map 1.

The island resembles a cylinder about 50 yards in diameter and about 165 yards tall. Nearly three-fourths of it is submerged, meaning that only about 35 yards of the island is above sea level. The island is made of granite; the granite is permanently surrounded with a wall of force, making it virtually invulnerable to damage.

The island is divided into five levels, each about 25 yards tall from top to bottom (except for Level 1, which corresponds to the surface of the island). The floors are solid granite nearly 10 feet thick, permanently covered with wall of force.

The only passageways between levels are the magical portals located at various points on the floors (see map). The portals are 5-foot-diameter rings made of black and white pearls imbedded in the granite. The portals are completely airtight. When a creature or person touches the granite area inside the ring of pearls, the creature or person is instantly transported to a specific location on the island. The destination of each portal is indicated in the Map Key

Map Key

Level 1: This is the surface of the island, the only portion that is visible above sea level. There is a portal on the center of the island. Those stepping on the portal are instantly transported to a random area in Level 2, abruptly finding themselves underwater.

Level 2: This level is completely filled with sea water. There are two 10-foot-diameter openings on either side of this level leading to the open sea. Depending on where in the world the island happens to be, this level could contain various forms of dangerous sea life who have taken shelter here; such sea life might include sharks, giant eels, or giant octopi.

2a. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the top of the island (to the area marked with an X on the Level

 1 map).

2b. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the floor of Level 3 (to the area on the Level 3 map marked with an X).

2c. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the floor of Level 4 (to the area on the Level 4 map marked with an X).

Level 3: This level is completely filled with a noxious yellow gas that smells like dead fish. The gas is so dense that normal vision is reduced to 10 feet. Characters entering this level must save vs. poison; those who fail suffer 1-2 hit points of damage per round of exposure to the gas.

3a. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to a random area in Level 2, finding themselves suddenly underwater.

3b. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the top of the island (to the area marked with an X on the Level 1 map).

3c. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the floor of Level 4 (to the area on the Level 4 map marked with an X. )

Level 4: This level has floor-to-ceiling walls of granite that divide the level into various sections. The walls are one foot thick and are permanently covered with wall of force.

4a, 4b, 4c. Fake Portals: These circles of pearls resemble the portals found on other levels of the island, but they are not portals. Instead, when any character steps on one of these fake portals, he activates a special monster summoning III spell. The spell instantly summons 1d4 3rd-level monsters (selected by the DM from his 3rd-level encounter tables). The summoned monsters appear near the ring's perimeter and attack everyone in sight. If the monsters are killed, they disappear; otherwise, they fight for 2-8 (2d4) rounds, after which time they vanish. There is no effect if the monsters step inside one of the fake portals. The monsters will avoid the real portal (4d).

4d. Portal: Those stepping on this portal are instantly transported to the floor of Level 5 (to the area on the Level 5 map marked with an X. )

Level 5: This is Ghothar's treasure cache. The exact composition of the treasure is the decision of the DM, but a suggested cache includes a spell book with a dozen conjuration/summoning spells of various levels, five magical items, and an assortment of gold and gems worth 20,000 gp. (Rumors abound that Ghothar found the secret of eternal life and still exists in an alternate plane of existence; if this is true, Ghothar might return someday to restock his cache with a different assortment of treasure. He might also change the traps in his island, especially if his previous treasure has been stolen.)

Those stepping on the portal on this level are instantly transported to the top of the island (to the area marked with an X on the Level 1 map).

The Sphere of B'naa

The Sphere of B'naa is located in a cavern beneath one of the world's highest peaks. Its precise location is not known. The sphere was created eons ago by a consort of wizards led by a high-level mage named B'naa. The sphere supplied transport for the wizards to alternate planes of existence. Because of the magic involved in creating and sustaining the sphere, it is extremely difficult to use and virtually impossible to use by non-wizards

About the Spheres

Refer to Map 2.

The sphere is located in an immense cavern at the end of a 200 yard long passage winding deep inside the earth beneath an ancient, towering mountain range. The sphere consists of several layers (like an onion), each about 20 feet thick. The layers are separated from one another by bands of shimmering white light. The portal to the alternate planes lies in the center of the sphere; to get to the portal, a person must pass through each layer.

Once the magical requirement for a layer has been met, characters may pass through the layer of shimmering light to the next layer. If any character passes back through a light layer that he has already passed through, the magical condition must be met again in order to re-enter that light layer. Characters may pass freely toward the outer spheres (for example, from layer 4 to layer 3).

Each layer is permanently enchanted with special features representing the various levels of wizard magic; for instance, the first layer of the sphere represents 1st-level wizard magic, the second layer represents 2nd-level wizard magic, and so on. If the proper level of spell is cast on a layer, its features change dramatically; these spells can either be cast on the layer itself or on any subject inside the layer. Magical items that duplicate the effects of spells do nothing to change the features of the plane, nor do priest spells. The effects are explained in detail in the Map Key.

Map Key

Layer 1: This layer is filled with brightly blinking lights of all colors. Those in contact with this layer must save vs. spells or become blinded for the next 2-8 (2d4) rounds. If any 1st-level wizard spell is cast at the layer or at a character inside the layer, the layer instantly fills with dancing lights and characters no longer risk being blinded. The dancing lights persist for one turn, after which the layer reverts to its original features.

Layer 2: This layer is filled with greenish-yellow fog that obscures all sight, normal and infravision, beyond two feet. Those in contact with this layer suffer 1-4 hit points of damage per round (save for half-damage). If any 2nd-level wizard spell is cast at the layer or at a character inside the layer, the fog instantly becomes harmless, similar to the fog produced by fog cloud, and characters no longer risk suffering damage. The harmless fog cloud persists for one turn, after which the layer reverts to its original features.

Layer 3: This layer is dark and empty, but a powerful gust of wind of about 30 m.p.h. blows from the inner wall toward the outer wall, rendering man-sized creatures unable to proceed to Layer 4. If any 3rd-level wizard spell is cast at the layer or at a character inside the layer, the wind subsides to a gentle breeze and characters can proceed normally. The gentle breeze persists for one turn, after which the strong wind begins to blow again.

Layer 4: This layer is filled with roaring red flames similar to those produced by a fire trap. Those in contact with this layer must save vs. spells or suffer 5-8 (1d4+4) hit points of damage (save for half damage). If any 4th-level wizard spell is cast at the layer or at a character inside the layer, the flames turn green and no longer generate heat; characters suffer no damage from the green flames. The green flames persist for one turn, after which the layer is again filled with roaring red flames.

Layer 5: This layer is solid granite, similar to that produced by wall of stone. If any 5th-level wizard spell is cast at the layer, the granite disappears, revealing the bands of shimmering white light that border the final layer (Layer 6) of the sphere. The granite reappears in one turn.

Layer 6: This is a 20-foot-diameter hollow sphere containing a structure made of shimmering white light. The structure rests at ground level (relative to the cavern that the entire sphere lies within). The shimmering structure has four openings, all leading to a central area containing a golden chair. A character can walk to the chair through one of the openings, sit down, and instantly be transported to another plane of existence.

Opening A: If a character walks through this opening, he will be transported instantly to the Ethereal planes when he sits in the golden chair. He will be transported to any specific location in the Ethereal planes he has in mind; otherwise, he will be transported to a random location in the Ethereal planes.

Opening B: If a character walks through this opening, he will be transported instantly to the inner planes when he sits in the golden chair. He will be transported to any specific location in the inner planes he has in mind; otherwise, he will be transported to a random location in a randomly chosen inner plane.

Opening C: If a character walks through this opening, he will be transported instantly to the outer planes when he sits in the golden chair. He will be transported to any specific location in the outer planes he has in mind; otherwise, he will be transported to a random location in a randomly chosen outer plane.

Opening D: If a character walks through this opening, he will be transported instantly to the Astral plane when he sits in the golden chair. He will be transported to any specific location in the Astral plane he has in mind; otherwise, he will be transported to a random location in the Astral plane.

The Sage Tree

The Sage Tree is a huge oak tree about 10 feet in diameter and over 100 feet tall. It grows somewhere in one of the world's densest forests. The Sage Tree contains the spirits of a dozen of the wisest scholars who ever lived. After the scholars died, the gods of good rewarded their devotion to pure knowledge by placing their spirits in this oak so they could engage in philosophic discussions for all eternity.

If a wizard locates this oak (recognizable by a slight pulsation near its trunk that resembles a heart beat), he can ask it any question as if he were consulting a wise sage for information (the wizard can ask any question relating to the fields of study listed on Table 61 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide).  The Sage Tree will only respond to wizards of lawful good alignment, and it will answer only one question per day.

If these requirements are met, two to five (1d4 + 1) human faces will sprout from the tree in an area five to ten feet above the base of the trunk. The faces appear to be carved from wood. One of the faces will politely ask the wizard to repeat the question, then another face will offer an answer. Immediately, a second face will offer a different answer. If there are additional faces, they too will offer different answers.

After all of the faces have offered their answers, they will ignore the wizard and engage in a heated argument as to who is wrong and who is right. The argument will continue for at least 2-8 (2d4) rounds, during which time the argument will drift off into topics completely unrelated to the wizard's question. At some point in the argument, one of the heads will abruptly ask the wizard for his opinion to settle their argument--the head will ask for the wizard's opinion on a subject totally unrelated to the wizards' original question. Typical questions asked by a head might include:

•	If a star falls from the sky and lands in the ocean, should the star still be considered part of the heavens, or has it now become part of the earth?

•	If a large animal kills a smaller animal for sport, should it be held accountable for its actions?

•	If two men share equally in a business and one of them dies, should the widow of the dead man receive his share of the profits, even if she does not participate in the business herself?

•	Are a wizard's skills more important than those of a craftsman? Than those of an artist?

•	In what ways is a dragon the equal of a man?

If the wizard refuses to answer the head's question, all of the heads withdraw into the tree trunk and disappear. They cannot be summoned again for another 24 hours.

If the wizard makes a reasonable effort to answer the head's question (the DM decides if the wizard has made a reasonable effort), the heads will nod in agreement, saying they will discuss the issue further at another time. One of the heads will then ask the wizard to repeat his original question. The heads will consult briefly with each other, then one of them will answer the question. To determine if the heads have arrived at the correct answer, the DM should roll 1d20. On a roll of 18 or less, the heads have answered correctly. On a roll of 19 or 20, the heads have answered incorrectly. The DM should create an incorrect answer that will be believable and consistent with what they players already know about the adventure.

After the heads answer the wizard's question, they bid him farewell and withdraw back inside the tree. The heads will not answer another question until 24 hours have passed.

If the tree is cut down or otherwise destroyed, the essences of the sages will be transported to another tree somewhere else in the world. As with the previous tree, the new Sage Tree will be recognizable by a slight pulsation near its trunk

The Garden of Jertulth

This in a clearing in an uncharted jungle; its precise location is not known. The garden is only about 10 feet by 10 feet square, but its enchantment is so strong that it radiates magic for a radius of one mile.

The garden appears to be a normal bed of wild flowers of various types. However, if a non-magical weapon is buried in the garden beneath three feet of soil and left undisturbed for a year and a day, there is a good chance that it will change into a magical weapon. No more than two weapons can be buried in the garden at the same time; if more than two weapons are buried, the enchantment will not work and the weapons will be unaffected.

If a weapon is removed from the garden before a year and a day have passed, the magic is negated; the weapon must be buried again, and another year and a day must pass before the enchantment takes hold. If a weapon remains buried in the garden for a year and a day, roll 1d20 and consult Table 20 for the result.

Table 20: Results from the Garden of Jertulth

D20
Roll	Result
1-3	The weapon is unaffected.
4-6	The weapon has become a weapon +1.
7-10	The weapon has become a weapon +2.
11-12	The weapon has become a weapon +3.
13	The weapon has become a weapon +4.
14-15	The weapon has become a weapon +1, +2 vs. magic-using and enchanted creatures. This weapon always provides a +1 bonus. The +2 bonus takes effect when the sword is employed against wizards, spell-casting monsters, and conjured, gated, or summoned creatures. (The +2 bonus will not operate against a creature magically empowered by an item that casts spells, such as a ring of spell storing.
16	The weapon has become a weapon +3. However, 2-8 (2d4) days after it is taken from the garden, the weapon loses its enchantment and reverts to its non-magical form. Permanency or a similar spell cannot prevent the weapon from losing its enchantment, although a wish could.
17	The weapon has become a weapon +3. However, 2-8 (2d4) days after it is taken from the garden, the weapon disintegrates into dust. This enchantment is so powerful that nothing short of a wish can prevent the weapon from disintegrating; however, if a wish is cast on the weapon, it will lose its +3 bonus and revert to a normal weapon.
18	The weapon has become a weapon +1, cursed. It performs in all respects as a +1 weapon, but when it is used to attack an enemy, the sword will weld itself to the welder's hand and force him to fight until the enemy or the wielder is slain. After its first use, the wielder can never rid himself of the cursed weapon--it will always appear in his hand whenever an opponent is faced. The wielder can be freed of the weapon by remove curse, limited wish, wish, or a similar spell.
19	The weapon has become a weapon -2, cursed. The weapon gives off a magical aura and performs well in practice, but when it is used against an opponent in combat, it lowers its wielder's attack rolls by 2. Only by careful observation can this lowering be detected. All damage scored is reduced by 2 hit points, but a successful hit will always inflict at least 1 hit point of damage. As with the, weapon +1, cursed the weapon -2, cursed will always appear in the hands of the wielder and force him to fight until the enemy or the wielder is slain. The wielder can be freed of the weapon only by a limited wish or a wish.
20	The weapon has turned to dust.

The Shadow Trees

This is a grove of spindly, leafless trees growing somewhere in a dark jungle. The trees have black bark, and their uppermost branches always sway as if being blown by a breeze; they sway even in the absence of wind.

On nights with a clear sky and a full moon, the shadows of the branches spell out one or more omens and warnings on the ground. The omens appear as shadowy runes of any number of ancient languages; a wizard can translate the runes with comprehend languages or a similar spell. The omens and warnings are always 100 percent accurate, though their phrasing may be ambiguous. Rumors tell that once per year, the shadow trees spell out the formula of a wizard spell of a random level which can be translated by comprehend languages, read magic, or a similar spell

Table of Contents


Twelve New Magical Items (Comp. Wizard's Handbook)
Twelve New Magical Items

If the DM wishes to determine the discovery of the following items at random, he can use the magical item tables on pages 135-139 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide. Each item below belongs to a particular table; when a DM's Choice result is rolled on the appropriate table, the DM can use the indicated item as one of his options. For instance, the potion of elasticity listed below belongs to Table 89 (page 135, DMG ). If a 20 is rolled, the DM can use the potion of elasticity as an option for the DM's Choice

Potion of Elasticity

A character consuming one dose of this potion is able to stretch his legs, arms, neck, or any other appendage up to a distance in feet equal to twice his Constitution score; for instance, a character with a Constitution of 15 can stretch up to 30 feet. A character can stretch only one appendage at a time; for instance, he can stretch one arm, one finger, or his neck. Whenever he stretches any appendage, he must make a Constitution Check; if he fails, the stress of the stretch causes 1d6 hit points of damage. The potion lasts for 1-4 turns; during this time, the character can make as many stretches as he likes, as long as he checks for damage for each stretch.

Add to: Table 89 (page 135, DMG ).

XP Value: 300

Candle of Everburning

This resembles a normal wax candle about 6 inches tall. However, once the candle is lit, the flame can be extinguished only by the spoken command of whomever is holding it. Otherwise, the flame continues to burn; it will burn underwater, in any alternate plane of existence, or in the strongest of winds. Dispel magic and similar spells have no effect on the flame. The candle of everburning can burn for 24 hours before all of its wax melts away.

Add to: Table 101 (page 138, DMG ).

XP Value: 300

Medallion of Steadiness

This is a silver medallion of a horse's head. While wearing it, a character can never be thrown from his mount, whether a horse, a dragon, or any other creature suitable for riding.

Add to: Table 96 (page 137, DMG ).

XP Value: 1,000

Dragon Slippers

These slippers are made of green silk. The magic of the dragon slippers is activated if the wearer concentrates and speaks the word "change." If activated, the dragon slippers cause the wearer to appear as a 20-foot dragon with bright yellow scales, a barbed tail, and long green fangs; the wearer does not gain any of the abilities of a dragon. While the illusion is in effect, the wearer retains his normal abilities and statistics. The effect lasts for one hour, but can be canceled any time by the command of the wearer.

Add to: Table 98 (page 138, DMG ).

XP Value: 3,000

Parchment of Monster Holding

This 1-foot-square piece of parchment can hold any monster summoned by a monster summoning I spell. The wizard unfolds the parchment and lays it before himself prior to casting the spell. If the spell is successfully cast, the summoned monster is immediately absorbed into the parchment, appearing there as a colored image. The caster can then refold the parchment and carry it with him, holding the summoned monster indefinitely. When the parchment is unfolded and laid on the ground, and the wizard speaks a command word, the monster appears, remaining active for the normal duration of the monster summoning I spell. Any single parchment of monster holding can be used only once; after the monster is released, the parchment crumbles to dust. The parchment also crumbles if it is torn or defaced in any way.

Add to: Table 104 (page 139, DMG ).

XP Value: 150

Singing Skull

This item resembles a small human skull, about 3 inches in diameter, made of ivory. Once per day, the owner can command the skull to sing. The singing skull sings eerie, depressing tunes for one hour (or less, as ordered by the skull 's owner). All those within 50 feet of the singing skull must make a successful saving throw vs. spells or suffer the effects of a fear spell. The owner of the singing skull is immune to its effects.

Add to: Table 103 (page 139, DMG ).

XP Value: 2,000

Airboat

This appears to be a canoe made of stone and measures 3 feet tall, 12 feet long, and 4 feet wide. Inside are five evenly spaced stone planks, each capable of seating two human-sized passengers. A plank on one end of the canoe is marked with a star symbol in the center. The airboat is also fitted with two sets of stone oars that fit in ridges carved in both sides of the craft.

The airboat responds to the mental orders of its commander (the character sitting on the plank with the star symbol). Only a wizard or priest can serve as an airboat commander.

The airboat can move in any direction in any medium. While moving, the airboat is surrounded by an aura of light that allows all of its passengers to breathe normally, even when traveling through water or airless space. The aura surrounds the craft to a distance of 10 feet.

The airboat has a movement rate of 40. It can move only if it is being rowed with at least one set of the stone oars. If only one set is used, the craft has a maximum movement rate of 20; if both sets are used, the craft has a maximum speed of 40. A single character can operate two oars, or two characters can sit side by side on a plank, each operating an oar. To move at maximum speed, the rowers must complete a stroke every two seconds; if the stroking rate is less than this, the maximum speed decreases proportionately. For instance, if one set of oars is stroking once every four seconds, the airboat has a maximum movement rate of 10.

The commander must remain seated on the star plank. He can take no actions other than commanding the craft. If he moves from his seat, attempts to operate the oars, or takes any other action, the airboat stops moving. Similarly, if his concentration is interruped, the craft stops. If it stops moving while in the air, it hovers in place. The airboat can hover in place for only 1 turn, after which it sinks gently to the ground. If it stops moving while on water, the boat simply drifts.

Add to: Table 104 (page 139, DMG ).

XP Value: 20,000

Ring of Resistance to Breath Weapons

This ring gives the wearer complete immunity to all breath weapon attacks from creatures other than dragons; the wearer suffers half damage from dragon breath.

Add to: Table 91 (page 136, DMG ).

XP Value: 5,000

Collapsing Spell Book

This resembles an ordinary traveling spell book, except that it can be folded over and over until it is a square one inch on each side. The book can be unfolded when its owner wishes to consult it, then folded back into its small size for easy carrying.

Add to: Table 95 (page 137, DMG ).

XP Value: 1,500

Spoon of Mixing

This spoon increases the chance of successfully combining potions to create a new effect.  When combining potions as per the rules on page 141 of the DUNGEON MASTER Guide, the percentile dice roll on Table 111 is modified by +10 when using the spoon of mixing.  Treat all results greater than 00 as 00.  Note that by using the spoon of mixing, there is no chance that the combined potions will create an explosion, a lethal poison, or a mild poison.

Add to: Table 102 (page 138, DMG. )

XP Value: 1,500

Pen of Excellence

A pen of excellence grants the user the following abilities:

•	He can write at twice his normal speed (particularly helpful for wizards copying new spells into their spell books).

•	He can draw accurate pictures of anything he sees with the precision of the finest artist.

•	If the user has a sample of another person's handwriting, he can create a perfect forgery of that handwriting. Any type of ink can be used with a pen of excellence.

Add to: Table 102 (page 138, DMG ).

XP Value: 1,200

Bracelet of Scaly Command

This coral bracelet enables the wearer to control water-dwelling creatures with animal intelligence or lower (mainly fishes and reptiles). The creatures must be within a half-mile radius of the caster in order to be controlled, and they must be within 30 feet of each other. The number of creatures that can be affected is a function of Hit Dice. The spell affects 1-10 Hit Dice of monsters. Monsters with 5+3 Hit Dice or more are unaffected.

The center of the area of effect is determined by the spellcaster. The creatures with the fewest Hit Dice are affected first, and partial effects are ignored. The caster does not have to be in the water to command the creatures.

This control lasts for 2-12 (2d6) turns and cannot be dispelled. No saving throw is allowed against the magic of the bracelet. The wearer can use this ability once per week.

Add to: Table 96 (page 137, DMG ).

XP Value: 2,500

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