Bands of Ice (Wizard Spell)

When this spell is cast, the wizard is able to trap a chosen creature in thick bands of ice. The caster can create solid, icy bands able to hold a creature 1 foot tall for every level possessed; that is a 10th-level spellcaster can capture a creature 10 feet or less tall, If the creature is very broad such as an umber hulk, add 1 or 2 feet to its effective height for the purposes of determining what the wizard can capture.
The creature receives a saving throw vs. spell to determine the effectiveness of the bands. If the sav­ing throw is successful, the ice is brittle and easily broken, allowing the creature to escape in one round. If the saving throw is unsuccessful, the crea­ture is trapped for at least one turn. Once a turn has passed, the creature is allowed a bent! bars/lift gates roll to determine if the ice has melted to the point where it can escape (for monsters, use 1% per Hit Die if man-sized, 5% per Hit Die if large or huge). If the roll is successful, the creature breaks free of the ice and is no longer affected by the spell.
The normal duration for the bands of ice is two turns. If the spell is cast in a cold environment (40 °F or lower), the duration is doubled to four turns, and if the surroundings are very cold (0 °F or below), the duration is increased to six turns (one hour). Applying a torch shortens the dura­tion by one round for each round that heat is applied. Magical fires such as a fireball melt the ice, but injure the trapped being in the process.
A creature trapped in the bands of ice suffers 1d6 points of cold damage each turn. Cold-dwelling creatures receive no damage, while fire-dwelling creatures suffer double damage. Creatures with high body heat, such as salamanders, melt the ice twice as fast, halving the spell's duration.
The material components for this spell are sev­eral chain links made of nickel, a piece of iron in the shape of a hoop, and a bit of snow.
Notes: Uncommon for Frost mages; otherwise very rare. Known to be in The Book of Naz. (Updated from Dragon Magazine.)
Category:Wizard Spells
Category:Spells from Dragon Magazine
Category:Spells from Wizard's Spell Compendium
Category:Spells