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What’s a spellbook without a spell? I wrote this a while ago and recently rediscovered it. After polishing it up a bit, I submit to the Anarchist Spellbook.
When designing a guardian for my wizard’s tower during #dungeon23, I noticed that the DCC corebook lacked spells that fulfilled the functions of Mage Hand and the various incarnations of Bigby’s Hands and was inspired. So without further ado I present to you:
Phantom Limb
Level: 1 Range: 25’ Duration: 1 round per CL Casting time: 1 action Save: Will vs. spellcheck where applicable
General
The caster’s chosen limb (often an arm) grows hazy and insubstantial and a floating disembodied duplicate limb manifests which can move objects, deflect attacks, hinder foes, and even attack and deliver touch spells at higher levels. The caster must spellburn at least one point when casting this spell.
Manifestation: Roll 1d5: (1) Twisted and grotesque; (2) withered and mummified; (3) invisible apart from bones, blood vessels, and nerves; (4) ghostly and semi-transparent; (5) inorganic and artificial.
Corruption: Roll 1d5: (1) The caster’s limb takes on the appearance of above manifestation permanently; (2) a bone in the caster’s limb painfully snaps; (3) a digit either grows or disappears from caster’s limb; (4) the caster’s limb is wracked with painful sensations at inopportune times; (5) the caster’s limb becomes withered and twisted lowering their Agility and Strength by 1.
Misfire: Roll 1d5: (1) The caster’s chosen limb vanishes for 1d5 rounds, experiencing strange sensations in the interim; (2) a random nearby ally has their limbs rendered numb for 1d5 turns, granting -2 penalty to all checks; (3) caster’s limb is briefly swapped with a random nearby target’s limb for 1d5 rounds, granting both -1 Die to all checks for 1d5 rounds; (4) caster briefly loses control of their limbs, letting go of anything held and collapsing to the ground for 1d3 rounds; (5) a phantom limb manifests for 2d5 rounds but has a mind of its own! (Roll d20+12 to determine its capabilities – uses caster’s level and ability scores where appropriate).
1 Lost, failure, and worse! Roll 1d6 modified by Luck: (0 or less) corruption + patron taint + misfire; (1-2) corruption; (3) patron taint (or corruption if no patron); (4+) misfire
2-11 Lost. Failure.
12-13 Caster manifests a floating phantom duplicate of his chosen limb within range that can clumsily push an object with up to 5 lbs. of force. The phantom limb has an AC equal to 10 plus half the caster’s level (rounded up), has a number of Hit Points equal to half the caster’s maximum HP (rounded up), and lasts for a number of rounds equal to the caster’s level or until reduced to 0 HP. The caster must spend an action focusing on moving and directing the limb. If an action causes the phantom limb to go beyond the range of the spell the spell ends.
14-17 As above, but the phantom limb can push, pull, lift, or manipulate an object within range with up to 5 lbs. per CL of force. Additionally the phantom limb can also be directed to distract a single target within range; the target must make a Will save or suffer -2 to all actions until the following round.
18-19 As above, but each round the caster can direct the phantom limb to deflect attacks against their person, granting them a bonus to their AC equal to half their caster level (rounded up). The phantom limb must be adjacent to the caster to grant this benefit.
20-23 As above, but the phantom limb can also strike targets using the caster’s own attack bonus plus INT modifier; dealing 1d5+CL damage on a hit.
24-27 As above, but the range of the phantom limb is increased by an additional 5’ per two caster levels. Additionally, directing the limb no longer costs an action.
28-29 As above but can move or lift an object within range with up to 10 lbs. per CL of force. The caster can also use the phantom limb as a conduit for touch spells against targets adjacent to the phantom limb.
30-31 As above, but the phantom limb can also attempt to perform a relevant Mighty Deed action against a single target it is attacking or hampering (such as a disarming, blinding, tripping, grappling, or shoving). In addition to an attack roll, roll a 1d5 Deed die, adding the result to both the attack and damage modifier. If the attack hits and the result of the Deed die is 3 or greater the Mighty Deed attempt succeeds (Refer to pg.88).
32+ As above, but the phantom limb increases in size which grants the following: can manipulate / lift objects with 100 lbs per caster level of force; the bonus to its own AC and the bonus to AC granted from defending is equal to CL; bestows -1 Die penalty to all actions when hindering a foe; its base damage increases from 1d5+CL to 2d5+CL; the Deed die of any Might Deeds it attempts is increased to a d10 and can throw a grappled target at another target within range with a successful deed.
Thoughts/feedback welcome
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