Symbol (Wizard Spell)

==Player's Handbook Version==
A symbol spell creates magical runes affecting creatures that pass over, touch, or read the runes, or pass through a portal upon which the symbol is inscribed. Upon casting the spell, the wizard inscribes the symbol upon whatever surface he desires. Likewise, the spellcaster is able to place the symbol of his choice, using any one of the following:
Death: One or more creatures, whose total hit points do not exceed 80, are slain.
Discord: All creatures are affected and immediately fall to loud bickering and arguing; there is a 50% probability that creatures of different alignments attack each other. The bickering lasts for 5d4 rounds, the fighting for 2d4 rounds.
Fear: This symbol creates an extra-strong fear spell, causing all creatures to save vs. spell with -4 penalties to the die roll, or panic and flee as if attacked by a fear spell.
Hopelessness: All creatures are affected and must turn back in dejection unless they save vs. spell. Affected creatures submit to the demands of any opponent—for example, surrender, get out, etc. The hopelessness lasts for 3d4 turns; during this period it is 25% probable that affected creatures take no action during any round, and 25% likely that those taking action turn back or retire from battle, as applicable.
Insanity: One or more creatures whose total hit points do not exceed 120 become insane and remain so, acting as if a confusion spell had been placed upon them, until a heal, restoration, or wish spell is used to remove the madness.
Pain: All creatures are afflicted with wracking pains shooting through their bodies, causing a -2 penalty to Dexterity and a -4 penalty to attack rolls for 2d10 turns.
Sleep: All creatures under 8+1 Hit Dice immediately fall into a catatonic slumber and cannot be awakened for 1d12+4 turns.
Stunning: One or more creatures whose total hit points do not exceed 160 are stunned and reeling for 3d4 rounds, dropping anything they are holding.
The type of symbol cannot be recognized without being read and thus activating its effects.
The material components of this spell are powdered black opal and diamond dust, worth not less than 5,000 gp each.
==Wizard's Spell Compendium Version==
This spell allows the caster to scribe any of the potent runes described below. A symbol can be quickly scribed in the air or on some surface, or carefully inscribed on a surface.
A quickly scribed symbol has a casting time of 3. The resulting rune becomes active immediately. It lasts one turn per caster level and glows faintly while it lasts. Symbols of fear, hopelessness, pain, or persuasion can be used in this manner. Symbols of death, discord, insanity, pain, sleep, stunning, and spell loss cannot.
The only material components required are a small amount of mercury and phosphorus.
A carefully inscribed symbol has a casting time of one turn. The symbol is inactive when finished and remains so indefinitely until triggered. Once triggered, it becomes active and glowing, usually lasting one turn per caster level. Some symbols can burn out more quickly. For example, a symbol of death ends when it has slain 80 hit points worth of creatures, or after one turn per level of the caster, whichever comes first.
The material components for a carefully en­graved symbol are mercury and phosphorus, plus powdered diamond and opal worth at least 5,000 gp each.
To be effective, a symbol must always be placed in plain sight and in a prominent location, covering or hiding the rune renders the symbol ineffective. As a default, a symbol is triggered whenever a crea­ture does one or more of the following, as selected by the spell caster: reads, touches, or passes over a portal bearing theme. In this case, "reading" the rune means any attempt to study, identify, or fathom its meaning. Throwing a cover over a symbol to render it inoperative triggers it if it reacts to touch. To trigger a symbol, a creature must be within 60 feet of the rune.
The caster can set special triggering conditions of his own. These can be as simple or elaborate as the caster desires. Special conditions for triggering a symbol can be based on a creature's name, iden­tity, or alignment, but otherwise must be based on observable actions or qualities. Intangibles such as level, class, hit dice, or hit points don't qualify. For example, a symbol can be set to activate when a lawful good creature approaches, but not when a paladin approaches.
A symbol's triggering conditions are defensive. A touch-triggered symbol remains untriggered if an item bearing the symbol is used to touch a creature. Likewise, a symbol cannot be placed on a weapon and set to activate when the weapon strikes a foe. Once cast, a symbol's triggering conditions cannot be changed.
The caster ignores the effects of his own sym­bols, and cannot inadvertently trigger them. When scribing a symbol quickly, the caster can instantly attune any number creatures to the symbol, rending them immune to its effects, provided the creatures are within 60 feet of the rune when it is created and that the caster is aware of their presence.
When creating a carefully inscribed rune, the caster can specify a password of phrase that pre­vents a creature using it from triggering the symbol. The caster also can attune any number or creatures to the symbol, but this can extend the casting time. Attuning one or two creatures takes negligible time; attuning small group (up to 10 creatures) takes an hour. Attuning an entire household (up to 25 creatures) takes a day. Attuning larger groups takes proportionately longer, as the DM sees fit.
When triggered, a symbol affects all creatures within a 60-foot radius, except for the caster and any individuals attuned it. If a symbol has a pass-phrase, anyone using it remains immune to that particular rune's effects so long as the individual re­mains within 60 feet of the rune. An individual who leaves the radius and returns must use the pass phrase again.
Once triggered, a symbol remains active until its duration expires; creatures that subsequently meet an active symbol's triggering conditions suffer its effects. The symbols described below are the most commonly known.
===Lesser Symbols===
Fear: This symbol can be scribed quickly or carefully engraved on a surface. Creatures within the radius are afflicted by a powerful version of the 4th-level wizard spell, fear. If scribed in the air, this symbol imposes a 4 penalty to saving throws against the fear effect. If the rune is carefully engraved on a surface, the saving throw penalty rises to -8.
Hopelessness: All creatures within the radius must attempt saving throws vs. spell, at a -4 penalty if the rune is carefully engraved on a sur­face. If the saving throw fails, the creature suffers from hopelessness for 3d4 turns. It submits to simple demands from foes, such as to surrender or get out; the effect is similar to the 3rd-level wizard spell, suggestion. If no foes are present to make de­mands, there is a 25% chance that the creature takes no other action than to hold its ground. If the creature remains free to act there is a 25% chance it will retreat from the rune at its normal move­ment speed. In either case, the creature can defend normally if attacked.
Pain: Creatures within the radius suffer wrack­ing pains that reduce Dexterity scores by two points and impose a -4 attack penalty. Both effects last 2d10 turns. This symbol can be scribed quickly or carefully engraved on a surface.
Persuasion: This symbol can be quickly scribed or carefully engraved on a surface. Each creature within the radius must attempt a saving throw vs. spell, at a -4 penalty if the rune is carefully inscribed on a surface. If the saving throw fails, the creature becomes the same alignment as the caster for 1d20 turns. During this time, an affected creature becomes friendly to the caster as though subjected to the 1st-level wizard spell, charm person.
===Greater Symbols===
Death: One or more creatures within the radius, whose total hit points do not exceed 80, are irrevo­cably slain as though struck by the 6th-level wizard spell, death spell. This symbol must be carefully engraved on a surface.
Discord: All creatures within 60 feet immedi­ately fall into loud bickering and arguing. Meaningful communication is impossible. If the af­fected creatures have different alignments, they are 50% likely to attack each other. Bickering lasts 5d4 rounds, fighting lasts 2d4 rounds. This symbol must be carefully engraved on a surface.
Insanity: One or more creatures within the radius, whose hit points do not exceed 120, become insane and act as though affected by the 4th-level wizard spell, confusion. Insanity lasts until a heal, restoration, or wish spell is used to remove the af­fliction. This symbol must be carefully engraved on a surface.
Sleep: Creatures within the radius fall into a catatonic slumber if they have 8+1 hit dice or less (characters are affected if 8th level or less). Sleeping creatures cannot be awakened for 1d12+4 turns. This symbol must be carefully en­graved on a surface.
Stunning: One or more creatures within the radius, whose total hit points do not exceed 160, are stunned for 3d4 rounds. Stunned creatures drop what they are holding and cannot take any mean­ingful actions. They cannot communicate, employ spells, use magical items, initiate psionic abilities, use spell-like powers, fight, or move freely, Movement is limited to one-third the creature's cur­rent movement rate, or a rate of 3, whichever is less. Attacks against stunned creatures gain a +4 bonus. This symbol must be carefully engraved on a surface.
A successful dispel magic removes the effects of a symbol from a creature, unless the symbol's effect is instantaneous (death, spell loss) or the descrip­tion specifies another remedy Insanity. The rune itself can be removed with a successful erase spell or a successful dispel magic targeted solely on the rune. The destruction of a surface upon which a symbol is inscribed destroys the rune, but also trig­gers its effects.
Notes: Common spell (PHB). This spell has been substantially reworked from the 2nd Edition version. The symbol of spell loss originated in the Forgotten Realms setting.
===Permanent Symbols===
A symbol can be ren­dered permanent with the 8th-level wizard spell permanency, provided the rune is care­fully engraved upon a permanent, non-portable surface such a wall or door. A permanency spell indefinitely extends a symbol's basic du­ration of one turn per caster level. When trig­gered, a permanent symbol usually glows for about a turn each time it is activated, but there: is no limit to the number of times it can be trig­gered. If the symbol can affect only a limited number of hit points of creatures, the limit ap­plies each round. For example, a permanent symbol of death can slay 80 hit points of crea­tures every round.
===Symbol of Spell Loss===
Spell Loss: This is another variant of the symbol spell. When triggered, the symbol of spell loss begins to attack the minds of spellcasters within 60 feet.
Each caster must attempt a saving throw every round he or she is in this area. Failure means that the highest-level spell prepared by the spellcaster (or highest-level spell slot, if the character casts spells like a sorcerer or bard) is lost. The symbol remains until it has erased 60 levels of spells. The symbol attacks creatures with spell-like abilities as if they had spells. It has no effect on creatures without spells or spell-like abilities. This version of the symbol spell is a mind-affecting spell.
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Players Handbook
Category:Spells
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium