Pyroclastic Surge

SFP: 300+1d20/level of caster

This spell creates a pyroclastic surge: an incandescent, ground-hugging cloud of hot dust and pumice that races along the earth's surface at MV 36. Anyone in its path must make a successful saving throw vs. death magic or perish. Even those who save successfully suffer 1d8 points of damage per round of exposure. Inside the area of effect, visibility is zero, and the heat is consuming. Anyone who survives the flow must make a successful saving throw vs. poison at a -4 penalty or be rendered unconscious until 1d4 rounds after the surge ends. (Non-oxygen breathers are spared this effect.)

The surge can knock buildings flat and strip land bare. Virtually nothing is left behind but thick layers of ash. (See the structural damage table, below.) Sometimes metal objects can be found in the ruins if temperatures within the surge were not too high (50% chance for each metal object affected). Earthen or mud constructs simply liquefy. Occasionally cloth is left untouched, the hot gases having moved too fast to burn it.

About 25% of pyroclastic surges are gravity-driven pyroclastic flows, where the densest part of the flow hugs the ground and is topped by a dark cloud of fine particles that form a wall. These masses of hot gas and incandescent solid particles are violet-gray and filled with electrical scintillations. Saving throws against these surges are made at a -4 penalty. A reverse gravity spell causes these flows to move in the opposite direction.

The caster can cause the flow to move in any direction initially, but there is a 5% chance per round that it changes direction randomly. The caster is vulnerable to the effects of this spell but makes saving throws against it at a +2 bonus. Creatures composed of air suffer only 1d2 points of damage per round of exposure. Protective spells like stoneskin still leave the recipient vulnerable to heat damage. These individuals suffer 1d4 points of damage per round.

The material components are a pinch of volcanic ash, an ounce of ground mica and a lodestone, shaken together in a metal container. All of the components are consumed in the casting.

Use this chart with the Siege Damage rules in the Dungeon Master Guide.