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

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

Today is Part 19 of my series of looks at OD&D starting with Men & Magic - Volume 1.

Today we will look at the 6th Level Magic-User Spells:

Stone to Flesh: This spell turns stone to flesh, and it is reversible, so as to turn flesh to stone. It is particularly useful in reviving characters who have been “stoned” by some monster. It is permanent unless a reversed spell is used. Range: 12”.

Note the permanent unless reversed, i.e. a very powerful unlimited duration.

Reincarnation: A spell to bring a dead character back to life in some other form. The form in which the character is Reincarnated is dependent upon his former alignment (Law, Neutrality or Chaos). Use a random determination on the Character Alignment table, and whatever the result is, the reincarnated character is that creature and must play as it. If he comes back as a man, determine which class, and roll a six-sided die to determine which level in that class, and similarly check level for reincarnation as an elf or dwarf.

We had so much fun with this! Seeing a character come back as an Ent was a real hoot! Or one of several other things.

Invisible Stalker: The conjuration of an extra-dimensional monster which can be controlled with merely a word from the Magic-User who conjured him. The Invisible Stalker will continue on its mission until it is accomplished, regardless of time or distance. They cannot be dispelled once conjured, except through attack. Details of the Invisible Stalker itself will be found in the next book.

My players loved this spell and would send one in against powerful monsters (such as dragons, gorgons, medusae, vampires, balrogs, etc) to soften them up, before the party fought the monster or to aid them during a battle.

Lower Water: Utterance of this spell causes the water level in a river or similar body of liquid to drop 50% of its depth for ten turns. Range: 24”.

A very powerful spell that could make it possible to ford rivers that otherwise might be impassable. Two Magic-Users working together could reduce the depth another 50%, three Magic-Users working together could reduce the depth another 50% and so on.

Part Water: A spell which will part water up to 10’ deep for a maximum of six turns. Range: 12”.

I specified this was up to 500 feet across the body of water and creates a path 50 feet wide. Two Magic-Users working together could double the effects, three Magic-Users working together could triple the effects and so on.

Projected Image: By means of this spell the Magic-User projects an image of himself up to 24” away, and all spells and the like used thereafter appear to originate from the Projected Image. Duration: 6 turns. Range: 24”.

A great way to foil missile fire. Also a great way to send part of your opponents on a wild goose chase to get that Magic-User.

Anti-Magic Shell: A field which surrounds the Magic-User and makes him totally impervious to all spells. It also prevents any spells from being sent through the shell by the Magic-User who conjured it. Duration: 12 turns.

This is a double-edged sword, essentially the Magic-User becomes useless to the party, and if the party is overcome the Magic-User is taken out by non-magical means. A Magic-User who tries to sit out a battle using this spell makes himself a stench in the nostrils of the rest of the party.

Death Spell: An incantation which kills from 2–16 creatures with fewer than seven hit dice. The creatures must be within an area of 6” × 6” to come under the spell. Range: 24”.

Yes, you read that right, no saving throw. Not for monsters or for the characters of the party

Geas: A spell which forces the recipient to perform some task (as desired by the Magic-User casting the Geas). Any attempt to deviate from the performance of the task will result in weakness, and ignoring the Geas entirely brings death. The referee must carefully adjudicate the casting and subsequent performance of the geased individual when this spell is used. Duration: Until the task is completed. Range: 3”.

I always had a lot of fun as the referee using this spell in a "humorous" manner. By humorous, I mean the task that was given to be completed.

Disintegrate: This spell will cause material of any kind — other than that of a magical nature — to Disintegrate. It will blast a tree, dragon (if it fails to make its saving throw against magic), wall section, or whatever. Range: 6”

At least you get a saving throw against this one.

Move Earth: When above ground the Magic-User may utilize this spell to move prominences such as hills or ridges. The spell takes one turn to go into effect. The terrain affected will move at the rate of 6” per turn. Duration: 6 turns. Range 24”.

This could be used to widen or narrow valleys and many other ways. I have also seen this used as an attack against a fortified position as if can be cast repeatedly. Also very effective against a castle located on top of the hill, if you march it into a lake or other body of water.

Control Weather: The Magic-User can perform any one of the following weather control operations with this spell: Rain, Stop Rain, Cold Wave, Heat Wave, Tornado, Stop Tornado, Deep Clouds, Clear Sky.

There is no saving throw against this and the Magic-User can also control the movement of the weather too. For instance the tornado could be steered in any direction and moved at a speed of 18". The duration is until dispelled.

Tomorrow we will look at additional spells that we created prior to obtaining  the Greyhawk Suppplement.