Cause Disease (Wizard Spell)

The cause disease spell afflicts the creature touched with a debilitating or fatal disease at the caster's option. The spell must be delivered by a successful touch attack. The creature touched must immediately make a successful saving throw vs. spell. Failure means the creature con­tracts the disease selected by the caster. The dis­ease must run its course naturally or be cured with magic (a cure disease spell or equivalent; a dispel magic spell is not effective). Lycanthropy cannot be caused by this spell.
Unlike the 3rd - level priest spell, cure disease, this spell has no reversed form. The spell can be used in combination with the 2nd - level spectral hand spell. Casting this spell is an evil act.
* Debilitating - The disease takes effect in 1d6 turns, after which the creature loses 1 point of Strength per hour until his Strength is reduced to 2 or less, at which time the creature is weak and virtually helpless. If a creature has no Strength rating, it loses 10% of its hit points per Strength loss, down to 10% of its original hit points. If the disease also affects hit points, uses the more severe penalty. Natural recovery requires 1d3 weeks.
* Fatal - This wasting disease is effective imme­diately. Infected creatures receive no benefit from cure wound spells while the disease is in effect; wounds heal only at 10% of the natural rate. The disease is fatal in 1d6 months, and can be cured only by magical means. Each month the disease progresses, the creature loses 2 points of Charisma permanently.
Notes: Restricted to necromancers and evil witches; uncommon.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells