50 Starting Spells

Binder's Chalice [8]

 50 Starting Spells

For OSR Adventures

[1] The King's Fanfare

First Level – Enchantment

Creates or mimics the sound of a royal fanfare. Convinces those who hear it to stand at attention, turn on the fountains, etc.

[2] Pugilist Limb

First Level – Enchantment

One limb chosen by the caster (usually arm, but a leg or tail on a matching creature could be chosen) has the muscle memory and seemingly improved ability to fight.

That limb, when not using weapons, gets +2 to hit and +1 to all damage. Lasts until it picks up a weapon or for 1d6 + caster level turns.

[3] Kitty Whiskers

First Level – Transmutation

Target grows long cat-like whiskers on the face, which grants +1 to detecting stealthy enemies. Grants a general 'sense' of all objects within 15ft, without knowledge of color or exact dimensions. This is done by feeling air currents and vibrations with the whiskers. If the character already had whiskers of some kind, this spell makes them grow to a preposterous length.

[4] Quiet Time

First Level – Abjuration

For 10ft around the caster creates zone where all sounds and impacts are quieted. Everyone within this zone will have (caster level) resistance to sonic damage.

Additionally, all within the zone gain +1 to listen checks due to no distracting white noise.

This spell lasts until a significantly loud sound breaks the silence; any sonic attack or spell will break the sound but resistance will be applied to it.

[5] Hemlock Grove

First Level – Transmutation

Allows caster to transform normal leaves, shoots, flower petals, and other minor plant parts into a very mild poison. Every handful of leaves mixed in with the target substance will deal 1 poison damage when it is applied to its target.

Once dumped into the substance that will be the vector for the poison (dagger, wine, etc.) the leaves can be removed and scrapped off, the poison remaining in the vector. The poison itself will only deal 1 damage per turn once applied, lasting a number of turns per handful of material used for this spell.

[6] Fortnight Floorman

First Level – Transmutation

Allows one door, book with clasp, locket, or any container to automatically be locked or unlocked in a fortnight of time or 14 days. You must be able to lock/unlock this item at the time of casting, and be touching the object in question.

The lock on this item is only as strong as its standard lock or barring, and could be picked. If cast in combination of a Wizard Locking spell it can use that instead.

[7] Cloak of Glass

First Level – Transmutation

Changes one fabric item up to the size of a sheet to become almost totally transparent. Only the sheet itself is transparent, not anything it covers. Lasts for up to (caster level) days.

[8] Binder's Chalice

First Level – Abjuration

Magically enchants a chalice so that, if drunk in the context of a magical ritual of summoning or controlling any sort of supernatural creature, grants +1 to all spellcraft rolls and saving throws vs that specific creature. Extremely common spell among necromancers, demonologists, and apprentices.

[9] Coal Caltrops

First Level – Evocation

Conjures forth hundreds of tiny glowing hot flames from the floor. Counts just as throwing down a bag or two of caltrops, dealing fire damage equal to caltrops and slowing at the normal rate.

Lasts for (caster level) combat rounds or for a turn. The embers glow faintly and the vast majority of creatures would notice them in a dark place.

[10] Improvised Makeup

First Level – Transmutation

Allows you to transform mud into paste, dust into powder, charcoal into colored gloss, etc. These materials can be used as makeup for cosmetic purposes or for disguises. Lasts for (caster level) turns and turn back to mud and ash when it ends, still stuck on your face.

[11] Gather Wood

First Level – Transmutation

Gathers and piles up nearby bits of usable wood. Generally pulls from the closest source of wood and radiating outwards, piling it into the designated spot by the caster. Acts as a single person carrying firewood for 2d6 turns.

If cast against a wooden structure or vehicle, deals (caster level) damage against it instead.

[12] The Mechanist's Shortcut

First Level – Transmutation

Allows a small and similarly shaped object to work in a machine or device as one that is missing or broken. For instance, a bumpy rock could be used instead of a cog, length of hair/intestine could be used instead of cord or rope, regular cloth bag used as a bellow, etc. Does not grant the caster any mechanical skill or knowledge however.

This shortcut works either a number of turns equal to the caster's level or for a number of 'cycles' or regular uses of the machine's normal operation equal to caster level.

[13] Obliterate Dust

First Level – Evocation

Destroys house dust, sawdust, sand, soot, spores, bone dust, feather fluff, or other tiny things that can create clouds or cover surfaces. This spell does not work against living creatures.

This can destroy the desired target particles when at rest or in the air, and base amount obliterated is equal to a full room of smoke or a shovel's full of mass. Multiply this amount by caster level.

[14] Larger than Life

First Level – Enchantment

Makes the caster or one target they choose appear to be among the taller members of their same race/species. Dwarves or hobbits may near 5 feet in height, humans would look up to 6 and a half feet, ogres could look 12 feet tall, etc.

Target proportions are not changed. Lasts until your height is actually measured or for one day.

[15] Anchor & Cord

First Level – Conjuration

Creates a heavy anchor attached to an object or person you are currently touching. Anyone with the anchor will move as though heavily encumbered on land or sink in the water. Someone with a Strength score of 18 or higher could pick up the anchor and use it as a weapon.

The anchor and cord vanish if the cord is severed or after (caster level) turns. The cord has (caster level) + 4 hitpoints when being cut by sharp weapons, but no attack roll is needed.

[16] Vain Likeness

First Level – Transmutation

Changes the look of any character on a piece of stonework, carving, or painting to have your face or other features, such as your clothes or hands.

This spell is temporary and will wear off in 1d6 days or at the touch of a mason.

[17] Smuggler's Egg

First Level – Abjuration

Allows you to swallow anything small enough that could fit in your mouth without injury to yourself or damage to the object. Can swallow live animals, blades, acid, burning match, and so on. In 1d6 hours you can 'lay' it back out as an egg.

Smugglers eggs are brightly colored, and often have striped or polka-dot patterns. The egg's color and pattern is random, but always the same for each individual caster who uses this spell.

[18] Afterimage

First Level – Divination

If you witnessed or saw something you want to keep track of closely, you can cast this spell instantly. If you have someone else stand in the same spot as you did, they'll receive a very short flash of what you also saw.

This spell will allow them to identify characters, see details you missed, inform them of a danger, and so on. Does not confer the supernatural threats or powers related to sight of the vision.

You can show your afterimage to up to a number of other people equal to (caster level). You can only cast this spell once per vision you wish to show others.

[19] Arrow Reducer

First Level – Abjuration

Arrows, javelins, darts, and other ranged weapons that strike you will have additional sources of damage on them removed by the nature of this spell. Poison evaporates off the arrow's point, burning oil is extinguished, and explosive arrows detonate a few feet from you, granting you a +2 to save against them.

This does not protect you from the normal damage of the projectile, simply the additional enhancements placed on it by the archer. Protects against (1 + 1 per 3 caster levels) projectiles.

[20] The Disposal Brigandine

First Level – Abjuration

This spell is cast through ritualistic touching and chanting when donning armor, and cannot be cast on unwilling targets. This spell grants the armor the person is wearing +1 AC, counts it as magic armor, and grants +1 to saves made while wearing that armor.

This spell lasts until that armor is removed. The moment the armor is doffed, it crumbles to dust.

[21] Magical Aegis

First Level – Abjuration

This spell on a shield. Once cast, you may not use any other shield for this spell ever again, you must use the same first shield. This spell animates the shield that grants you its AC bonus in combat while keeping both hands free. The shield rotates around your body to block attacks. You can also send the shield to attack as an action in combat, sending it as a projectile that deals 1d4 physical damage by slamming into foes.

You can also use the shield when you are hit by an offensive spell or breath attack; the shield reduces the damage you take by -1d6 and takes permanent scorching or cracking from the blast. If your shield is destroyed you cannot use it or this spell.

If you begin play with this spell, you will begin with a simple wooden buckler with this spell already cast on it.

[22] Turning the Wheel

First Level – Evocation

This spell energizes a simple turning motion into wheels, knobs, levels, and other simple input devices. It can be used to turn wheels from the other side of the room, such as lowering a drawbridge or shutting a valve.

This spell's maximum range is 15 ft + 5 per caster level. All attempts to industrialize this spell have been met with absolute failure. Surely you'll get it right this time though, right?

[23] The Last Drop

First Level – Transmutation

By combining and reforming the tiny amounts of droplets, liquid, and vapor left inside a potion bottle this spell can give you a single drop of its effects. This droplet grants a very minor use of the potion, severely limited based on its type. You can only use this once per potion, as nothing will be left once you condense the bottle's contents.

Healing potions will make a drop that heals just 1 hit point. Poison makes a thin poison that deals just 1d4 poison damage on a hit. Acid can make one drop that burns only through soft materials. Strength or Intelligence boosting potions grant +1 to the modifier of those stats for a single roll or action involving their use, and so on.

[24] Lash of Sparks

First Level – Evocation

The caster must have a free hand to use this spell. It creates, with a whipping motion, a whip made of electrical energy that deals 1d6 lightning damage to anyone within close enough range to get hit by it. This requires an attack roll, with a +1 bonus to hit per AC bonus of the target from metal armor.

This whip can also be used to anchor itself to metal objects and pulled or used for acrobatic purposes. Small creatures could be tripped by wrapping it around their iron sabaton and pulling up, or wrap it around their sword to disarm them.

The spell can only do one attack or action.

[25] Miniature Typhoon

First Level – Evocation

Conjures forth a tiny swirling mass of water and wind, complete with tiny clouds and ant-sized seagulls, about the size of a dwarf and flings it forward. Enemies hit by this will take 1d2 damage and be knocked back 5 ft.

This spell has double effectiveness towards creatures of a similar size. Enemies who make a save can block or jump over the typhoon.

[26] Pinhole Spyglass

First Level – Divination

This spell must be cast with a long hard object, such as a staff, metal rod, etc. The piece does not need to be straight, but it must be a single continuous piece and cannot be a fabric.

Touching this object while casting this spell creates a pinhole sized hole on each end of the object, allowing someone looking into it to see out the other end. The amount they can see is tiny, similar to a coin or smaller, and can only survey about a human's general range of vision in one direction per exploration turn of shifting around.

The spell lasts for 1d4 + caster level exploration turns, and ends if anyone yanks or breaks the object the spell is enchanting.

[27] World Between the Pages

First Level – Enchantment

Hold out a book and 'dump' it onto the ground. Creates an enchanted zone equal in size to one room or small clearing that makes a single scene or figure in the book appear as real. Duration lasts for 1d6 turns + caster level.

[28] The Pierced Eye

First Level – Enchantment

This spell must be cast by marking with ink, chalk, blood, or scratches into an object a special symbol that resembles an eye being stabbed by a dagger. If the symbol is permanently scratched into the object or engraved in it then the spell only needs to be cast, and the mark is unnecessary.

If the mark is rubbed or washed off during the spell, the spell ends.

All armor and weapons marked by the symbol and with this spell cast upon them send back harmful and painful visions to their caster, causing 1 point of nonlethal damage for each failed attack against marked armor and each successful attack with marked weapons. This works on figments as well as partially real illusions.

[29] Snake's Tongue

First Level – Transmutation

Caster or willing target is granted a long forked tongue. Grants +1 to reaction checks, +1 to breath attack damage, or +1 to spell save DCs cast by that person. Spell lasts for 1d6 turns + caster level.

Each time this spell is used, a hurtful rumor is spread about the caster or someone close to him or her that will no doubt cause trouble.

[30] Conjure Viscera

First Level – Conjuration

Conjures forth a bucket full per caster level of generic gore, blood, and slime. Can be used to create a very convincing fake murder scene, or to feed beasts and monsters. Most mortal races become very ill if they try to eat the viscera.

If you have the resources and surgical skill, you can insert these organs into someone's body to replace damaged or sick ones. This can heal any amount of damage, disease, or stat damage caused by injury to any of these internal organs but grant -2 to all future saving throws vs mutation.

[31] Last Light of the Future

First Level – Enchantment

Creates a glow of light that lasts 1 round which brings a great sense of dread, causing all who see it to get -2 on their next save vs death.

The caster gets no special protection from this effect, unless they close their eyes for its entire duration (cannot attack or aim other spells)

[32] Power Cord

First Level – Evocation

This spell magically enchants a piece of rope or twine to be able to carry 'energy' between two objects. For example, a water wheel and a millstone could be connected and one will turn the other. Anyone who touches the rope directly ends the spell and takes 1d8 lightning damage. This spell functions for 1d6 + caster level hours.

[33] Magical Discharge

First Level – Evocation

This spell can only be cast with a magic wand or staff with spells/magic stored within. When cast, this spell will tear apart and destroy the wand or staff but will discharge multiple uses at once. It will allow you to use all stored spells in a single round, up to a maximum equal to caster level +1 The item crumbles to dust after used up.

These discharged uses can be haphazardly flung around everywhere, concentrated against a single target, or create a chaotic mess. For each past the first you try to use in a controlled way, make a save vs magic or else it goes wildly out of control. Once all charges are expended roll another save vs magic at -2, else one final spell charge will happen against you.

[34] Budget Flying Carpet

First Level – Transmutation

This spell allows for a large rug, carpet, bearskin, or similar large fabric to become animated and levitate about 6 inches off the ground. It can hold three people wearing and holding nothing, two slightly loaded people, or one fully encumbered person. The carpet moves as fast as a fully encumbered character regardless of how much weight it has to carry.

The carpet can float up stairs or shallow inclines but cannot float up sheer surfaces. It is possible for this flying carpet to therefore get trapped down in pits or ditches. This spell allows you to go over water, spikes, pressure plate floors and so on.

[35] Reverse Mistake

First Level – Divination

This spell allows you to turn back one action or move in relation to something that has a clear move or action. Cannot turn back time or combat encounter rounds, but can turn back a single chess move, a single switch thrown, a single error in making a potion, etc. Nearby clocks cease to function when this is used, and so many who rely on an unaltered time stream wear stopwatches.

[36] Breach the Stratosphere

First Level – Evocation

This spell creates a upward thrusting force from your location that displaces clouds and makes objects in flight fall down. You can sometimes see if this spell has been cast from a distance by the tiny upwards 'spike' of disrupted clouds.

Disrupts flying creatures of HD equal to level or less then the caster's level. Flying creatures can still glide downwards to avoid taking damage, but cannot ascend. Normal objects without continual flight will fall as normal, this spell ends most levitation or flying spells/abilities unless the target is of a higher level then the caster.

[37] Conjure Pussycat

First Level – Conjuration

This spell conjures forth a totally mundane, normal, adult, affectionate house cat. It cannot leave the house/farm it was conjured on and will act as a ratter as well as a normal cat would for 1d6 + caster level days before disappearing.

[38] Restore Wrappings

First Level – Conjuration

Bloodied bandages can be restored by using this spell, allowing for a second saving throw against any bleeding or infections and allowing another first aid attempt against the target without expending more bandages.

[39] Paper Slip of Fortune

First Level – Divination

This spell creates a small slip of paper with a vague fortune or prophecy written on it. Tear out a fortune cookie's paper and give it to the player who cast this spell.

If they follow the fortune as best they can, they gain +5% more gold and treasure from the mission, or may roll on one higher category loot table or add +1 to that roll.

[40] Sounding Sands

First Level – Enchantment

Enchants all sand or loose gravel within shouting distance of the caster to let out a tremendous clanging and crashing noise if the grains of sand fall down, such as by someone sneaking up behind the caster or his allies.

The duration of this spell lasts for 1d6 turns + caster level and all new sand you approach within range will be enchanted as well.

[41] Snuff Elements

First Level – Abjuration

Destroys a small amount of any element. Small amount in this case would be a campfire, bucket-amount of water, fist sized stone, or a light breeze, odor, or vapor (in the immediate area only) per caster level. If the source of the element is constant and incoming, such as a river, wildfire, storm, etc. Then the snuff only takes out a tiny portion of it and it will be quickly filled in.

If used against an enemy Wizard's elemental spells, you must make an attack roll d20 + caster level vs (10 + spell level of rival spell) to aim and hit their spell in flight.

If cast upon an elemental, deals 1d6 + caster level damage to them.

[42] Spin a Yarn

First Level – Divination

While spinning yarn, you can record an entire monologue of a story, poem, or other information spoken by a single person. When that yarn is unwound it will repeat the entire recorded story at normal speaking volume for everyone around it. Once the yarn has been unwound it cannot be stopped nor does it work more then once.

Small yarn balls can be used to deliver short messages. Entire spools would be needed to recite epic poems or a long letter.

[43] Foul Tide

First Level – Transmutation

This spell makes all the refuse, rotten corpses, bones, and other horrible waste of nearby waters wash up on shore once cast. Can be used to help find bodies, but cannot dislodge things that are too heavy and dense to be pushed around by a strong current of water.

Picking through the trash from a natural body of water is mostly fine, but in a city or nearby a busy river picking through the trash without proper precautions you must make a save vs disease or take a random common/minor disease. Caster may choose the trash infects anyone nearby it instead.

[44] Slicked Cuirass

First Level – Abjuration

Cast on a piece of armor or protective clothing. First attempt to grab by tentacle, fist, mouth, etc. is considered an automatic success on saving throw to avoid.

This spell can be be cast multiple times on the same armor to stack its slipperiness, up to a maximum times of the caster's level on a piece.

[45] Viscous Bladder

First Level – Transmutation

When this spell is cast on a liquid, it partially solidifies the liquid into a stretchy, squishy lump about the size of an apple. Bodies of liquid larger then this will only have part of themselves changed. This mass is safe to touch in this form and can be thrown like a weapon with an attack roll vs AC.

Thrown; the mass applies itself as though drunk or touched by the target it hits. Poison only deals ½ damage, where as acid, holy water, grease, or oil is applied exactly as though it was simply splashed on the skin of the creature hit by the mass.

You could also solidify regular water for ease of transport or healing potions to throw at allies and heal them at range. This spell creates one lump and it stays in that form for days equal to caster level.

[46] Dancer's Feet

First Level – Enchantment

Requires shoes painted in two different bright colors to be worn by the target.

The target of this spell gains a sudden and incredible dancing ability. If used in combat, can grant +1 AC for three rounds from using dance moves past opponents. If you dance with someone of the opposite gender at a ball, gala, or celebration while music plays it acts as a Charm spell upon them.

[47] Symbol of Saligarra

First Level – Evocation

Once cast, this spell hovers over the target's head as a red glowing symbol. While active, this symbol gives that person -2 to all saves and has a 50% chance to stop them every time they use a special ability (not a spell or attack).

When the person with the symbol above them wishes, they may grab the symbol with their fist and swing it like a sword. The symbol becomes a red aura of magic, expanding outwards in a cone and dealing 1d6 + number of rounds the symbol has been above their head. The caster OR target my freely will the symbol to move over someone else within vision range.

[48] Dungeon Directory

First Level – Divination

When cast, this spell makes a small imp or goblinoid creature's arm appear from the darkness or from a closed pot/sewer grate. The arm will point down to the hallway or doorway which is the next step to take either deeper or out of the dungeon. Only appears and points once per cast.

[49] Prepare thy Sorceries

First Level – Enchantment

The next spell you have has +1 to its saving throw number and counts as one spell level higher for dispelling attempts.

[50] Hold Shut the Veil

First Level – Abjuration

Once cast, this spell blocks all summoning and conjuration spells in the nearby area for 1d6 combat rounds or a single turn if out of combat.

When cast on the same round as a creature being summoned by another caster, you can reduce that caster's creature HD by -1d4. Creatures weakened by this spell are either painlessly conjured halfway (upper/lower body only), are stunted in growth, are missing a head or features like claws and colors.

Having a higher caster level means you get a saving throw vs magic to regain conjuring ability or to ignore the weakening effect of your own conjured creatures.