2020 - The Year of Blackmoor - 50th Anniversary - Day Seventy-Two

Celebrating 2020 - The Year of Blackmoor - 50th Anniversary of Blackmoor and of Role-Playing!

Today is Part 17 of my series of looks at OD&D starting with Men & Magic - Volume 1.

Today we will look at the 4th Level Magic-User Spells:

Polymorph Self: A spell allowing the user to take the shape of anything he desires, but he will not thereby acquire the combat abilities of the thing he has polymorphed himself to resemble. That is, while the user may turn himself into a dragon of some type, he will not gain the ability to fight and breathe, but he will be able to fly. Duration: 6 turns + the level of the Magic-User employing it.

For another example, if you polymorph to a werewolf or vampire you gain the appearance, but you do not transmit lycanthropy or vampirism, drinking blood does nothing for you, you are seen in mirrors or have any other vampire abilities.

Polymorph Others: Unlike the spell to Polymorph Self, this spell lasts until it is dispelled. The spell gives all characteristics of the form of the creature, so a creature polymorphed into a dragon acquires all of the dragon’s ability — not necessarily mentality, however. Likewise, a troll polymorphed into a snail would have innate resistance to being stepped on and crushed by a normal man. Range: 6”.

For example, a creature polymorphed into a dragon can fly, but not breathe as a dragon, but it does get claw, claw, bite and it does gain the tail attack. Also the mass does not increase so it could be a very light dragon which means when flying the wind could have a major effect. A troll polymorphed into a snail would still have the same mass, so its AC would be multipled and it would be very hard to hit or damage. Now if you polymorphed the troll into a fish, it would not be able to breath out of water.

Remove Curse: A spell to remove any one curse or evil sending. Note that using this spell on a “cursed sword,” for example, would make the weapon an ordinary sword, not some form of enchanted blade. Range: Adjacent to the object.

This will also save someone bitten by a werewolf for example. Note that Remove Curse will not work for cursed Artifacts as that is beyond its power level. It does work on all Undead and all Lycanthropes, one at a time. Although not many want try to cast it while standing next to a Vampire or Werewolf. 

Wall of Fire: The spell will create a wall of fire which lasts until the Magic-User no longer concentrates to maintain it. The fire wall is opaque. It prevents creatures with under four hit dice from entering/passing through. Undead will take two dice of damage (2–12) and other creatures one die (1–6) when breaking through the fire. The shape of the wall can be either a plane of up to 6” width and 2” in height, or it can be cast in a circle of 3” diameter and 2” in height. Range: 6”.

This is a great spell in many situations and was a much loved spell by Magic-Users. The Magic-User cannot move himself, but he can be picked up by a couple of brawny Fighting-Men and moved. A cart or wagon is too bumpy for concentration to be maintained and riding an animal breaks concentration.

Wall of Ice: A spell to create a wall of ice six inches thick, in dimensions like that of a Wall of Fire. It negates the effects of creatures employing fire and/or fire spells. It may be broken through by creatures with four or more hit dice, with damage equal to one die (1–6) for non-fire employing creatures and double that for fire-users. Range: 12”

The comments for a Wall of Fire apply to a Wall of Ice also. Two Magic-Users can work together and cast any combination of these two spells and locate them right next to each other.

Confusion: This spell will immediately affect creatures with two or fewer hit-dice. For creatures above two hit dice the following formula is used to determine when the spell takes effect: score of a twelve-sided die roll less the level of the Magic- User casting the spell = delay in effect, i.e. a positive difference means a turn delay, while a zero or negative difference means immediate effect. Creatures with four or more hit dice will have saving throws against magic, and on those turns they make their saving throws they are not confused; but this check must be made each turn the spell lasts, and failure means they are confused. The spell will affect as many creatures as indicated by the score rolled on two six-sided dice with the addition of +1 for each level above the 8th that the Magic-User casting the spell has attained. Confused creatures will attack the Magic-User’s party (dice score 2–5), stand around doing nothing (6–8), or attack each other (9–12). Roll each turn. Duration: 12 turns. Range: 12”.

Note that checks are written to be made per turn not per round. 

Charm Monster: The counterpart of a Charm Person spell which is employable against all creatures. If animals or creatures with three or fewer hit dice are involved determine how many are affected by the spell by rolling three six-sided dice. It is otherwise identical to the Charm Person spell.

My players loved this spell except when it was used against them. This is the spell you use on creatures that are not-humanoid or more than two hit dice including player characters. Note that it does work on animals and undead too as it states all creatures.

Growth of Plants: This spell causes normal brush or woods to become thickly overgrown and entangled with creepers, vines, thorns, briars and so on, so as to make the area virtually impassable. It will affect an area of up to 30 square inches, the dimensions decided by the caster of the spell. Duration: until the spell is negated by a Dispel Magic. Range: 12”.

I have had players who would have their Magic-Users cast this in a circle around their camps at night in the Wilderness. With two or three of these you can protect a very sizable camp quite well. I have also seen this cast and centered on giants and other large creatures to slow them down.

Dimension Door: A limited Teleport spell which allows the object to be instantaneously transported up to 36” in any direction (including up or down). There is no chance of misjudging when using a Dimension Door, so the user always arrives exactly where he calls, i.e. 12” upwards, 32” east, etc. Range: 1”.

A much loved spell by my players. Note you can use it to drop very large boulder onto pretty much whatever you want as just one example. Or you can use it to drop that high level thief behind a powerful monster for that devastating back stab (once thieves were added to the game.)

Wizard Eye: A spell which allows the user to send a visual sensor up to 24” away in order to observe the scene without himself moving. The “eye” is invisible. It moves 12”/turn. Duration: 6 turns.

Movement by the caster is not prohibited though, so this can be very useful for scouting ahead and for locating all opponents before attacking them and many, many other things thought up by creative players.

Massmorph: This spell is used to conceal up to 100 men (or creatures of near man size) as a woods or orchards. The concealed figures may be moved through without being detected as anything other than trees, and it will not affect the spell. It will be negated by a command for the caster or by means of a Dispel Magic spell. Range: 24”.

Yeah, they smell like trees and the only sounds are normal tree sounds, such as wind through the branches and leaves.

Hallucinatory Terrain: By means of this spell, terrain features can either be hidden or created — an illusion which affects a large area. Thus a swamp, hill, ridge, woods, or the like can be concealed or made to appear. The spell is broken when the magicked area is contacted by an opponent. Range: 24”.

This can be used to confuse opponents and it can be used to hide a camp in broad daylight among other things.

Tomorrow we are on to the 5th level spells.