Evocation Enhancements

Evoke [element]

Evocations are the flashy, impressive end of spellcasting, and the most directly applicable to combat. Evocations are how casters throw fire, blast enemies, or wield ice and lightning as weapons. For this reason, evocations are popular amongst many mages.

Note that in terms of damage types, Good damage is usually referred to as holy damage, and evil damage is normally referred to as unholy damage. Death damage is usually referred to as necrotic damage.

An evocation cantrip can deal 1 point of damage.

Damage

Elemental Damage. Cost 1 MP; 2 MP per +1d6 damage. All Evoke spells deal a base 1d6 points of damage of the secret’s type to all in the spell’s area if you spend 1 MP. You can increase this damage to 2d6 by spending 2 MP instead, and thereafter by an additional 1d6 for each further 2 MP you spend. Note some elements have a bonus effect when you spend 2 or more MP:

Acid. Acid coats affected creatures and objects, continuing to deal 1 point of acid damage per round. The acid eventually becomes inert after a number of rounds equal to the MP spent, but it can also be washed off with about one gallon of water for every 5' square of area. A creature can scrape or wipe acid off itself or a comparably-sized object with two actions, though this usually ruins the scraping implement.

Air. Intense winds can knock affected creatures across the battlefield. All creatures affected by a single spell are knocked in the same direction, though if the spell has an area of effect you may knock creatures away from a chosen central point. Creatures in the area of effect successfully hit by the spell are blown back 5'. Swarms of tiny flying creatures are dispersed. Clouds of non-magical mist and smoke are dispersed automatically. Larger creatures are unaffected.

Fire. The spell’s flames ignite flammable material. The area is illuminated with firelight each round. Only highly flammable materials, such as exposed oil or sheets of paper, catch fire, but for an additional +3 MP materials that can burn but need to be coaxed, such as logs, catch fire, and the flames to 1d6 damage to those who enter or start their turn in the area. Note that to make a living creature catch fire, a critical hit is needed as normal.

Force. Force damage cannot affect inanimate objects. However, it harms incorporeal or intangible creatures normally. Force damage has no other side effects.

Ice. The spell can freeze affected creatures and objects. Frozen objects become brittle, becoming vulnerable (1d6) to blunt damage. The freezing effect ends at the end of the spell’s duration. Normally only tiny creatures and objects are affected in this manner, but for 2 extra MP it affects small objects and creatures, for 4 extra MP it affects medium objects and creatures, for 6 MP it affects large objects and creatures, and so on (2 MP per size category). The area within an area affected by an ice evocation becomes slippery.

Lava. Affected objects become dangerously hot (baking) for the spell’s duration. Creatures are not burned in this way, but if they bear metal armor or weapons, they suffer 1d6 fire damage per round until the spell ends or they drop the metallic objects. This applies both to lava effects, and to general heating which does not involve actual fire or flames.

Light. For an extra 3 MP, you can create bright light that will blind those within the area on a successful attack roll. For 5 MP, the bright light will stun them. For 7 MP it will do both.

Lightning. Electrical shocks pass through water, attacking anybody in contact with the water but outside the spell’s area of effect, although this damage dissipates by 1d6 damage for every 10' from the point of origin.

Mist. Fog flows around barriers and through narrow cracks. Creatures behind cover do not gain cover bonuses against mist spells, and the spell’s area of effect will even bypass barriers if there is a path for the fog to flow.

Ooze. Affected areas are coated in slime, which makes it difficult terrain.

Sound. The sound can shatter glass and similar materials.

Water. Affected creatures and objects in the area are drenched with liquid water. This water can do such things as put out exposed flames in the area, wash away acid and ooze, and cool objects baking because of exposure to lava.