Shadow Magic Spells

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These are magic spells that have been developed by various students of magic, some good and some evil, that draw on the power of night. These spells would do nicely to round out necromancers, Shadow Warlocks, Nightbane^tm spellcasters, and holy warriors for the goddess of darkness Ratri.

Black Bubble

Level: 7
Range: Covers a 5ft +1ft per level radius and can be cast up to 90ft away.
Duration: Three minutes per level.
Casting Time: One melee action
Saving Throw: None
Damage Capacity: 200 S.D.C.^tm +25 per level, in a Nightbane^tm world add a +50 S.D.C.^tm bonus, and in Rifts® it instead becomes to 100 M.D.C.^tm +10 per level. It also recovers 10 points per melee! If destroyed, the bubble will vanish (can see in and enter its area) but will come back in the next melee with 10 damage points (i.e. it lasts for the full spell duration).
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 30

A black bubble will spring into existence to block any and all attacks. It forms a dome or sphere of protection that cannot be penetrated by any kind of sensing (psychic, magic, technological, etc.) This is ideal for an emergency escape, because you could create a Black Bubble and then teleport (or use an escape hatch, if you want) from within it and leave your enemies on the outside. No one can see into barrier but it is possible for inhabitants to see out of it and the creator can enter and exit it at will. Naturally, it is impervious to darkness and shadow based attacks. Once created, this barrier cannot be moved around. Dispel Magic Barrier and Negate Magic work as usual, but the barrier has a special +2 save bonus against negation!

Black Light

Level: 7
Range: 300ft
Duration: Instant
Casting Time: One melee action
Damage: 3d6 S.D.C.^tm +1d6 more per level damage. Add +3d6 S.D.C.^tm damage in Nightbane^tm and change to 2d4 M.D.C.^tm per level in Rifts® worlds.
Saving Throw: Dodge an 18 or better.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 20

The casting of this spell generates an intense beam of icy black energy. Animated dead and undead suffer no damage from this spell, but it does double damage to beings vulnerable to darkness- based attacks and and normal damage to everything else.

Dark Duality

Level: 8
Range: One weapon
Duration: Two melees per level.
Casting Time: Two melee actions
Damage: Special!
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 35

This enchants a weapon held in the caster's hand with the ability to damage a foe by way of his shadow. Any time the weapon is used to strike a victim directly it does normal damage - but attack a victim's shadow with it and the weapon does triple damage! The weapon being enchanted gets a save throw against the magic, and success means the weapon is not enchanted. Bows, slings, and other missile weapons get a +1 save bonus, ballistic firearms get a +3 save bonus, and energy weapons (to include vibro-knives and rail guns) get a +5 save bonus.

Impervious to Darkness

Level: 4
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: Five minutes per level.
Casting Time: One melee action.
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 10

The recipient of this protective magic becomes immune to darkness and negative energy blasts (like Negative Chi), immune to the darkness based spells in this file, and immune to blindness, mute, and all other sense affecting spells. No special ability to see in darkness is granted.

Inkspray

Level: 4
Range: 30ft
Duration: Effects last for 1d4 minutes per level.
Casting Time: One melee action
Damage: The ink drains 2d4 S.D.C.^tm (3d6 S.D.C.^tm in Nightbane^tm and 1d4 M.D.C.^tm in Rifts®) per minute.
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 8

The invocation of this spell conjures a sticky black substance that is placed on the chosen victim, who suffers from a life drain. The black ink will begin to glow a pale blue within a melee of covering a victim. During the draining the victim loses one attack, -2 on initiative, and -1 to strike, parry, and dodge. Total submersion in water or a Remove Curse spell are the two quickest ways to get rid of the ink.

Midnight Wind

Level: 5
Range: 90ft radius around caster.
Duration: One melee round per level.
Casting Time: Two melee actions.
Damage: 3d6 S.D.C.^tm
Strike Bonus: +3 to strike
Saving Throw: Dodge
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 12

Taken from page 135 of the Nightbane^tm RPG (the range is a bit clearer). This spell creates a chilling, hurricane force wind that darkens the sky in the area. The lights dim down, and the temperature drops by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Once per melee, the caster can attack a target with a blast of icy wind with the damage and strike bonus listed above. If the damage is greater than half the P.S. of the victim, he suffers knockdown due to the impact. In a non- Nightbane^tm environment the wind blast only does 2d4 S.D.C.^tm damage, but in Rifts® the damage increases to 6d6 S.D.C.^tm

Mindshade

Level: 5
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: Three minutes per level.
Casting Time: One minute
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 15

The recipient of this spell gains a +4 bonus to save vs psionics and mind-altering magic, plus becomes impervious to possession. The character's aura comes up as blank (nothing extraordinary), and he doesn't radiate any magic or psionic power!

Negative Flame

Level: 8
Range: 120ft
Duration: Instant
Casting Time: One melee action
Damage: 1d4x10 S.D.C.^tm +2 per level, or becomes mega- damage^tm in a Rifts® world.
Saving Throw: Dodge an 18 or better.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 30

The caster of this spell creates a brief rift into a world of strange black flames that sear and burn only flesh, not wood or stone or steel. Animated dead and undead are immune to the effects of negative flame, as are all non-flesh objects and creatures, but living (flesh and bone) creatures suffer normally. Beings vulnerable to darkness suffer double damage! Damage from negative flame must be healed normally, and cannot be regenerated. Magical and psionic healing is half as effective. In a Nightbane^tm environment change the +2 damage bonus per level into a +3 damage bonus per level.

Nightspill

Level: 7
Range: 50ft +10ft per level radius, affects a target area up to 100ft +20ft per level away.
Duration: Five minutes per level.
Casting Time: Two melees
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 25

This spell floods an area with total darkness. The light sources are not harmed. They produce visible light, but the spell creates interference with the visible EM spectrum. Only one range of light is affected, and that is usually the visual light spectrum. At the the third level of experience, the caster can negate the infrared (to mask body heat) or the ultraviolet spectrum. At the sixth level, the caster can choose to knock out radio waves (television, AM, FM, SW, and CB don't work).

Everything in a static (non-moving) 100 square foot area (per level) is tossed into total darkness, -6 to strike, parry, and dodge. Anyone with heightened senses or superior visual abilities will probably suffer only half penalties. A Negate Magic or Dispel Magic Barrier spell will destroy Nightspill, but the victim spell gets the usual save throw vs magic.

Nightvision

Level: 4
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: Five minutes per level.
Casting Time: One melee action.
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 8

This spell confers a recipient with the ability to clearly see objects in total darkness for 200ft +100ft per level of the caster. Vision in magical or artifical darkness is 50ft +10ft per level of the caster. Taken from page 133 of the Nightbane^tm RPG and slightly updated.

Nocturnal

Level: 9
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: 10 minutes per level.
Casting Time: Two minutes
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 45

This spell grants the recipient with several darkness based powers. He can Shadow Meld at will for the duration of the spell. Natural nightvision range is doubled, or if none is naturally possessed the range is 300ft (if Nightvision is cast then use that range instead). The character also gains +2 to parry and dodge in shadows (more than 50% shadows) and is +2 to save vs all darkness-based powers and magic. Darkness and negative energy attacks do half damage.

Portal of Fear

Level: 8
Range: Cast up to 90ft away.
Duration: Two minutes per level.
Casting Time: One minute
Damage: 2d6 S.D.C.^tm per strike, blow, or melee action of crushing. In Nightbane^tm add +1d6 damage, and in Rifts® the attacks to 2d6 M.D.C.^tm
Saving Throw: See description
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 40

This spell creates a magical rift of darkness, out of which 4d6 tentacles will stretch and attack afrom. Each tentacle has one attack, +2 to strike, +4 to entangle, 50 S.D.C.^tm (or M.D.C.^tm), a supernatural P.S. of 15 plus the caster's level (has no effect on damage - only grasping ability), and can reach 30ft away from the black rift.

Once entangled, a victim must save vs a horror factor of 15 when touched by a tentacle - failure means the victim is stricken with fear and reduced to one melee action while in contact with a tentacle. Getting away from the tentacle and getting touched again calls for a new save throw. Two melees (maybe more depending on strength) after being entangled, victims are pulled into the darkness rift. Another save vs magic (16 or better) must be made - failure means the victim is wracked with fear (immobilized) for 4d4 melees.

The portal will disappear when all tentacles are destroyed, the duration of the spell ends, or the spell is hit with a Dispel Magic Barriers or Negate Magic spell. This was based on power #11 of Weapons of Chaos, on page 89 of Heroes Unlimited^tm. In an Nightbane^tm setting, the tentacles have 75 S.D.C.^tm

Shadow Leap

Level: 7
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: Three minutes per level.
Casting Time: Two melees
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 45

For a limited duration, the character gains the power to jump into a shadow and appear out of one nearby! In a dark area, the character can truly come out of nowhere. For areas that are mostly shadow (+70%) give the character a +4 on initiative, +4 to strike, +6 to dodge, and an automatic dodge. For partially shadowed areas (40%-69%) the character gets +2 on initiative, +2 to strike, and +4 to dodge. Areas that are rather well lit (0%-39% shadowed) don't offer any bonuses. The range of the shadow teleportation is about 60ft.

Shadow Meld: Superior

Level: 7
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: 20 minutes per level.
Casting Time: One minute
Saving Throw: Standard if resisted.
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 25

Same as the fourth level spell, but can be cast on others and has a much longer duration. It also bestows upon the recipient nightvision, as per the spell above, at 4th level strength.

Level: 9
Damage: Special
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 50 plus extra

Be sure to read the information on glyphs because that has a lot to do with how some of these spells and powers will operate.

This glyph has the power to protect with all the powers of night and darkness. A few students of the magic arts have managed to find ways of turning the power into an offensive sort, but protection is still the easiest usage. These are the powers avaliable, their costs (in addition to the glyph's creation cost above), and their effects:

Summon Shadow Beast:
Cost to Create: 50 for the ability and 100 per creature 'installed', limit of one plus one more at levels three, six, nine, and twelve,
Cost to Activate: 20 per creature

For shadow beast stats see the description on page 184 of the Rifts® RPG. The creature will attack whatever triggered the glyph, drive it off or kill it, and vanish. The shadow beasts appear within the creator's maximum range at the time of creation but can move beyond it. When the glyph is no longer disturbed they vanish, no matter how far away. If the creature is destroyed, the glyph cannot regenerate it or find another shadow beast. An additional (or replacement) shadow beast can be 'installed' for 50 P.P.E.^tm by anyone who knows how to create a Shadow Glyph.
Blindness:
Cost to Create: 20
Cost to Activate: 10

One target per melee can affected by a magical blindness for 5d6+30 minutes, -2 save throw penalty.
Midnight Wind:
Cost to Create: 20
Cost to Activate: 10

Same as the spell, as per the usual constraints of glyphs. If protecting something, a glyph will use the wind gusts to do so.
Nightspill:
Cost to Create: 30
Cost to Activate: 15

Just like the spell, but it affects the full range of the glyph.
Portal of Fear:
Cost to Create: 50
Cost to Activate: 20

Just like the spell except that it lasts while the glyph is being disturbed (or attacked) and for 1d4 minutes after.
Black Ward:
Cost to Create: 15
Cost to Activate: None - constant

The protected object (or bearer) takes no damage from darkness, void, and shadow based attacks. It is also +2 to save vs spells of these types.
Black Bubble:
Cost to Create: 30
Cost to Activate: 10

Same as the spell in all respects. If cast by a glyph it envelops the object that the glyph is written on. A Dispel Magic Barrier spell will banish a glyph's bubble for 1d4x10 minutes.
Black Light:
Cost to Create: 50
Cost to Activate: 20

In defense of the object is is written on, the glyph can attack with the Black Light spell once per melee (twice if the creator was level five or higher, and three times if level ten or higher).
Dark Whip:
Cost to Create: 25
Cost to Activate: 10

A strand of black energy is created that does 3d6 damage plus damage bonuses (add +2d6 in Nightbane^tm). The whip's range is 12ft and has a +2 to strike and entangle. If used by a glyph protecting itself, the whip can strike three times per melee. Use by a bearer is limited only by the number of melee actions.

Twilight Sight

Level: 6
Range: Self or others by touch.
Duration: Five minutes per level.
Casting Time: One minute
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 15

Recipients of this spell are blessed with a multitude of visual abilities. Their eyes are magically infused with shadowstuff, a rare magic substance, and take on the appearance of being night skies with stars everywhere (much like the goddess Ratri's eyes).

Beneficiaries of this spell have perfect 20/20 vision, total nightvision (can see with almost no light) and darkvision (can see without any light), can recognize all creatures of darkness and evil, can see the true form of all shapeshifters, and are also impervious to any kind of visual illusion. Vision in artificial or magical darkness is one mile!

Void Spirit

Level: 9
Range: 30ft
Duration: One hour per level of the caster.
Casting Time: One minute
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 50

This spell forces a victim's soul out of it's body for a short time! The body is not harmed, and is also not filled with a spirit (so a malevolent entity could possess it easily). For the duration of the magic the victim's soul is locked out and is trapped in the Astral Plane. The astral self comes into being inside the Void, and surprisingly doesn't take damage from existing inside or outside of the Void area. Any being with astral projection or dreaming powers has a +2 save bonus against this spell.

Void Wall

Level: 7
Range: Cast up to 90ft away.
Duration: Three minutes per level.
Casting Time: Two melee actions.
Damage: 4d6 S.D.C.^tm or 1d6 M.D.C.^tm per five feet of thickness.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.^tm Cost: 20

This spell will create a wall of silent black flame with a width of five feet per level of the caster, a length of 15 feet, and a height of 10 ft. Anyone moving through the wall takes damage every five feet traveled into the wall. Anything in the area of effect will definitely suffer from the decaying effects of the Void matter. In Nightbane^tm increase the damage to 1d4x10 S.D.C.^tm