Cascade (3.5e Epic Spell Seed)
| Evocation | |
| Spellcraft DC: | 26 |
|---|---|
| Components: | V,S |
| Casting time: | 2 minutes |
| Range: | 300 ft. |
| Target: | One spellcaster, creature, or object |
| Duration: | 1 minute |
| Saving Throw: | None |
| Spell Resistance: | No |
This seed can over-strengthen ongoing spells that have been cast on a creature or object, temporarily cause the magical abilities of a magic item to go haywire, or over-strengthen ongoing spells (or at least their effects) within an area. After the duration of the cascade seed, the spell ends as if its duration had expired. The cascade seed can affect (but not counter) the ongoing effects of supernatural abilities as well as spells, and it affects spell-like effects just as it affects spells. One creature, object, or spell is the target of the cascade seed.
A spell that has been over-strenthened has it's damage increased over it's duration and has it's target(s) modified. By default: one additional damage dice per active round by default for damaging spells and one additional point of penalty per round for ability score penalties. Ability damage goes up every other round, one dice-step for dice and an additional point for flat damage. The target(s) is/are modified based on the effects original target(s): Area spells are multiplied by 1.5 in every direction, keeping their original shape. Single target spells are turned into up to 5, with the additional 4 chosen at random within range. Mutli-target spells either affect their maximum number of targets, or double the current whichever is greater, additional targets are chosen at random within range. Effect spells have their effects duplicated up to 4 times within range. By default target manipulations are chaotic and at the DM's discretion rather than the player's. If the spell originates from a projectile rather than spontanous or the caster, it detonates 5 ft. from the caster towards the target destination. Other modes of directed travel also halt 5 ft. from the point of origination towards the target. The target(s) is/are modified only if the seed is used as a counter, otherwise they remain the same. For the purpose of overcoming damage reduction, a spell affected by this seed is treated as if cast by the plane on which the original caster was located at the time of casting. E.g. on Arborea the spells damage is treated as good-aligned and chaotic-aligned.
Illusions lose their intended form and grow in size over their duration or the duration of the cascade seed, whichever is shorter. After this the illusion ends as if its duration had expired. A semblance of it's original subject is kept, though by default form deterioration is chaotic and at the DM's discretion rather than the player's. To direct the deterioration of the illusion increase the Spellcraft DC by +10.
Any calling, summoning, animating or reanimating spell or effect subject or other form of creation magic of non-instantaneous duration affected by the cascade seed will grow increasingly unstable over the duration of the effect. Spells, spell-like effects and other abilities cast by a creature under this effect will assume the usual effects on their targetting but not the effects of the planar 'damage origin'. A creature will also take increasing damage based on it's hit dice which does not incur any regular reactions that the creature might have to damage, the HP is simply subtracted. Creatures with more hit dice will take more damage. Upon returning to their place of origin, half the last amount of damage it took from this effect will be dealt in an area twice the creature's Area, in all directions.
By default any spell subjected to the cascade seed loses any exemption to targets imparted by the original caster. For the ability to exempt targets like the orginal caster had upon casting the spell increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. This factor can only be applied if the seed is used as a counter.
If the cascade seed is used to empower a spell rather than disrupt one, including a spell developped with this seed, increase the Spellcraft DC by +10. This factor negates the unpredictable targetting, planar 'damage origin', self-damage if applied to a creature and allows for exemptions on targets if other used seeds allow it, but keeps the increasing strength. Unless this factor is taken, increasing the duration of a spell developed with this seed will add double the usual amount to the Spellcraft DC. If the duration is extended 'significantly', the empowerment provided by the cascade seed will be slowed down accordingly though it will not stop.
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