Expanded Spells for Shadowdark

I like my players to find spells (they don't get to just pick every level) and I like to have a lot of spells. Most, but not all, have been play tested (although not extensively).

Tier 1 Wizard Spells

Color Spray
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: Instant
Range: Near
You create a wave of scintillating colors that fills a near-sized cube extending from you. Living creatures in the area are affected depending on their level:
Level 2 or less: Unconscious for 1 turn, blind for 2 turns, unable to attack 3 turns.
Levels 3: Blind for 1 turn, unable to attack for 2 turns
Level 4: Unable to attack for 1 turn

Level 5+: Unaffected

Distract
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Far
You create muffled sounds or dim lights within a far distance. Precise sounds (like words) or shapes are not possible with this spell.

Enlarge
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: Close
You target a creature and it doubles in size. It gains +1d6 damage on melee attacks and advantage on STR checks for the duration.

Expeditious Retreat
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: Self
You double your speed for the duration.

Grease
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: 10 rounds
Range: Far
You cover a small area (10 sqft) or object with slippery grease. Movement into a greased area requires a Dexterity check vs. your spellcasting check to not fall. Movement out of a greased area does not require a check. A dexterity check vs. your spellcasting check is required to pick up or hold onto a greased object.

Mount
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: 1 day
Range: Close
You turn a stick or rock into a common mount that will serve for 1 day. Its demeanor is based on your casting check (11-13: Horrid, 14-16: Ornery, 17-19: Reliable, 20+: Lovely).

Obscuring Mist
Tier 1, wizard (N)
Duration: Focus
Range: Close
You summon a thick roiling fog that reduces all vision within a near distance of you to close.

Shocking Grasp
Tier 1, wizard
Duration: Instant
Range: Close
You deliver a lethal shock to one enemy with your touch dealing 1d6 damage. If your target is wearing metal armor or made of metal gain advantage on your casting check and deal an additional 1d6 damage.

Tier 2 Wizard Spells

Gust of Wind
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: 1 round
Range: Far
You exhale forcefully to create a blast of wind in a straight line. Creatures must succeed on a STR check vs. your casting check or be pushed back a near distance. If a solid object (like a wall) is encountered they receive 1d6 damage per 10ft moved. Creatures smaller than human have disadvantage on this check and creatures larger than human have advantage on this check.

Locate Object
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Self
You know the approximate direction of an object you specify in relation to yourself if it is within 400’. Generic items objects (i.e. “traps”, “secret doors”, or “gems”) will direct the caster to the closest object. Specific objects may only be targeted if the caster has previously touched them.

Misdirection
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: 1 day
Range: Close
Attempts to magically locate or scry the target must succeed a WIS check vs. your spellcasting check. If they have part of the target (i.e. hair, blood, a strip of cloth) they gain advantage on this check. This offers no protection if they know your, or the target’s, truename.

Scare
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: Instant
Range: Near
You force creatures of level 4 or less that can see you to make a WIS check against your spellcasting check or flee. Creatures immune to morale are not affected.

Shrink
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Far
You target a creature you can see of level 5 or less and reduce its size by half. It deals half damage and has disadvantage on STR checks for the duration.

Revealing Light
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Close
Enchant a torch or lantern you are holding to dispel invisibility within its radius.

Spider Climb
Tier 2, wizard
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: Close
One creature you touch can walk on ceilings and walls like a spider for the duration.

Tier 3 Wizard Spells

Black Tentacles
Tier 3, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Far
Black tentacles erupt from the ground and grapple all creatures in a near area. Creatures that start or end their turn in the area of effect receive 1d4 damage. To take an action while in the area of effect a creature must succeed on a STR check vs. your casting check result.

Haste
Tier 3, wizard
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: Near
Allies within near range gain advantage on initiative, move double speed, and may attack double their normal rate for the duration. A failed casting causes all allies to age 1d4 years (5d4 years on a critical failure).

Shatter
Tier 3, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Near
You create a resonant frequency that can destroy objects. In round 1 all crystal and glass objects within near break. In subsequent rounds this can be targeted against specific objects within range. Example: It takes 2 rounds to dissolve a wooden door, 3 rounds to dissolve a stone sarcophagus, and 4 rounds to break an iron portcullis. This is both loud and annoying. Each round there is an X-in-6 chance of attracting a hostile random encounter where X is the number or rounds it has been maintained. 

Slow
Tier 3, wizard
Duration: Focus
Range: Far
Creatures of level 5 or less in a near area automatically lose initiative, move half speed, and may only get half their attacks rounded down (1 minimum). Alternatively, 1 creature up to level 9 may be affected.

Wind Wall
Tier 3, wizard
Duration: 5 rounds
Range: Near
Missile attacks and thrown weapons against anyone within near of you have disadvantage for the spell’s duration. Spells, magic arrows, and siege attacks (including giant’s boulders) are unaffected. Furthermore, gases are dispersed and creatures smaller than human cannot approach.

The Priory of the Sunstruck: Adventure Hooks!

 Last week I posted room 7. I have continued to work on this room because there is a difference between the notes I use to run (I created the thing after all) and what someone else would need to run the room. I am not a fan of the current "bullet style" but the walls of text in old modules can be overwhelming, this is my "happy medium." What do the players see, how does the room react, what else in the room - all of these questions need to be answered. Room 7 is pretty much done now.

Like monsters, I place major treasures during the first pass. They are not randomly generated because they are part of the "story" of the place, they build toward the theme of the thing. I don't need to give an extensive backstory to convey what is going here.  

  

 When I played this room I had to make some rulings on the fly which I tried to codify here. The friars invited the players in silently. At first they obviously refused and the undead started to get hostile. They attempted a turn and were able to eliminate two wights, but things started to go south from there. The players ran and noticed that as soon as they left the room the friars returned to the table. They had spotted the gold fork and really wanted it. They returned, and the friars again beckoned them. This time they decided to see what would happen if they sat. The friars were content. One of the players took the fork. Nothing happened. One of them stood up and backed out of the room. Nothing happened. Then another. When the last party member, a brave fighter retainer stood - the friars immediately became hostile. It was a riddle without an answer and was a fun puzzle in play to figure out how to get everyone out of the room (they all didn't).

Now onto the big area - Room 3: The Cloister.

 

D&D needs more intelligent swords. The world should be lousy with them. They are like truly famous celebrities. You have have never met one, but you know at least one person that has. The guy that hangs out with several of them is a minor celebrity just due to proximity.

In my "home base town" for my kids I have a sage. He's not some wizened librarian, he's a privileged rich guy who likes hanging out in the borderlands because its "cool." He is smart, chill, and has the resources to make himself useful. He's not brave enough really adventure himself, but he is obsessed with the trappings of adventurers. Walking encyclopedia of magic items and rumors about them - especially magic swords. Like a fantasy football fan who knows the stats of every player but couldn't tell you the win-loss record of any particular team.

This dead guy is directly related to one of the hooks at the beginning of the adventure:

 

Another aside - I am really having an internal debate about the role of hooks in an adventure. I know the classic "TSR" style is to have a bunch of hooks to be rolled randomly at the beginning of the adventure. It feels like a quantity over quality approach though. If I'm going to write a module and then put it out into the world for someone else to drop into their game then shouldn't I give 1 or 2 really solid hooks that are sure to catch their player's attention? And to me, a great hook has to HAVE A PAYOFF. Don't do fake hooks. Don't do generic hooks. Don't do hooks if the players bite they are underwhelming. Yay, gold! Who cares, wherever they go there will be gold. That's the point of the game.

GIVE THEM A MAGIC SWORD! If you give them a magic sword, the next time you throw a hook their way you know what they are going to do? They are going to bite. Every. Single. Time. Just keep giving them swords.

But you know what, I didn't just give them a sword. I gave them an NPC to interact with. I gave them an enemy - the Duke wants that sword. I gave them a choice, what can they get in return if they give the sword back to the Duke? I gave them questions. Who is this duke? Is he a good guy? It's a whole story that can be explored. At minimum its a new entry on the wandering monster table where occasionally some hired thugs from this random Duke somewhere else in the world show up and try to take the sword. Maybe the Peacock Blade wants to go back? Maybe Duke and Peacock Blade are in love?

Anyway, that's a fun room. It's a big open space and a relatively slow creature. The Pixies can be a problem. It's really one of those rooms where the best choice is to avoid. BUT, there is a magic sword right in the middle. Right next to 8HD monstrosity that is immune to everything. You're going to try to get that sword. It's a choice, but it's not a choice. To me those are fun choices in D&D. D&D is the most fun when the players are making the choices they know they shouldn't. They could avoid it. It's a choice being made purely out of greed. The "important" thing in this adventure isn't the sword. The heroic thing they are trying to accomplish is elsewhere. But right in front of them is a MAGIC SWORD. They're going to do it.

 More thoughts and rooms next week!