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Spellblights

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Spellblights

Source Ultimate Magic pg. 94
Spellblights are rare and unusual magical conditions that uniquely affect spellcasters, including creatures that use spell-like abilities. Spellblights are curses, some functioning continuously and others manifesting only when the aff licted creature attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability. A creature that lacks the ability to cast spells or use spell-like abilities cannot usually be afflicted by a spellblight.

Unlike many magical effects, a spellblight usually persists in an antimagic field, though because they often affect spellcasting, their effect is typically lessened in such a field.

Gaining Spellblights

Source Ultimate Magic pg. 94
There are many ways a spellcaster can become afflicted with a spellblight. These conditions can be gained by way of a bestow curse or major curse spell, as well as spontaneously with a number of unusual circumstances, many of which are detailed below.

Areas of Spellblight: Typically, the act of casting a spell has little chance of inflicting a spellblight, but there are some areas of magical instability where the mere act of casting a spell within the area can endanger a spellcaster. There are two main types of spellblight areas. In areas of minor spellblight, each time a spellcaster casts a spell, she must succeed at a DC 14 Will saving throw or be affected by a random minor spellblight. In areas of major spellblight, the caster must succeed at a DC 22 saving throw or contract a major spellblight. Due to the strange and random nature of such areas, their effects are not always consistent. There are areas that inflict a single type of spellblight, and areas that are easier or harder to resist with each spell cast.

Curses and Other Spells: All spellblights can be inflicted upon spellcasters with a bestow curse or major curse spell. Bestow curse can bestow any minor spellblight, while a major curse is required to afflict a spellcaster with a major spellblight. Other spells may inflict a specific spellblight or may allow the caster to select any spellblight as part of the spell. A successful saving throw against the spell prevents the spellblight from taking hold.

Optional Ways to Acquire Spellblights

Source Ultimate Magic pg. 94
GMs may choose to include the following methods of acquiring spellblights.

Antimagic Field: The first time a spellcaster attempts to cast a spell within an antimagic field, there is a chance she will spontaneously gain a major spellblight. The caster must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the caster level of the antimagic field or DC 23 if there is no caster level for the effect).

Arcane Spell Failure: When a spellcaster fails an arcane failure check by rolling a 5% (a roll of 01–05 on the spell failure roll) or lower, she has a chance of becoming afflicted with a spellblight. The failed spellcaster must succeed on a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the spell’s level) or gain a spellblight. A failed spell of 4th level or lower results in a minor spellblight, while a failed spell of 5th level or higher results in a major spellblight.

Crafting Magic Items: When a spellcaster is crafting a magic item, and fails the skill check to create the item, the GM can choose to give the caster a spellblight instead of having that check result in a cursed item. Determine the spellblight randomly based on the caster level of the item she was attempting to create. Creating an item with a caster level of 10 or lower gives a random minor spellblight, while creating an item of caster level 11 or higher gives a random major spellblight.

Spell Turning: When a spellcaster is warded with a spell turning, and so is the creature he or she attacks, such occurrences usually create a resonance field as described in the spell’s description. Instead, the spellcaster who cast the original effect can choose not to create the resonance field and both spellcasters are affected by a major spellblight. The spell that triggered the resonance field drains away without effect.

Teleportation Mishap: A spellcaster who casts a teleportation spell that results in a teleportation mishap has a chance of gaining a spellblight. The spellcaster who cast the teleportation spell must succeed at a Will saving throw (DC 15 + the spell level of the teleport) or gain a major spellblight.

Use Magic Device: When a spellcaster rolls a natural 1 while attempting to use a magic device with the Use Magic Device skill, she can choose to risk gaining a minor spellblight instead of not being able to activate the item for 24 hours (Will negates DC 10 + item’s caster level).

Removing Spellblights

Source Ultimate Magic pg. 94
While the most severe symptoms of a spellblight may manifest only episodically, the condition is often tenacious and difficult to remove. Each spellblight lists conditions for its removal, and can also be removed as if it were a curse (with remove curse, break enchantment, and so on). The caster level check DC to remove a minor spellblights is 20; the DC to remove a major spellblight is 30. The DC to remove the spellblight is reduced by 1 with each day that passes (minimum DC 10). Using anything other than a curse-removing spell to remove a spellblight imposes a –5 penalty on the caster level check. Any spellblight can be removed automatically, without a caster level check, with mage’s disjunction, miracle, or wish. When called to randomly determine a spellblight, roll on the appropriate table.

Table 2-1: Random Minor Spellblights

d10	Result
1	Caster Blank
2	Caster Croak
3	Confounded Casting
4	Disassociation
5	Ebon Eyes
6	Eldritch Ague
7	Hemoculysis
8	Lassitude
9	Ritualistic Obsession
10	Spell Addiction

Table 2-2: Random Major Spellblights

d10	Result
1	Eldritch Cataracts
2	Nameless Dread
3	Negated
4	Obsessive Fixation
5	Phase Blight
6	Spell Burn
7	Spell Sap
8	Transference Block
9	Vertigo
10	Roll twice on the minor spellblight chart. The spellcaster is affected with both spellblights.

Description of Spellblights

Source Ultimate Magic pg. 95
The following section details spellblights, split up based on their severity and featuring descriptions of effects and special methods to end those effects. Note that some of the effects of spellblights can be somewhat beneficial. Crafty spellcasters can make the best of even the worst situations, and the beneficial effects of any spellblights represent this. If a spellblight calls for a concentration check based on the level of the effect, and the caster is using a spell-like ability that doesn’t have an effective level, use half the caster level of the spelllike ability instead.

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