Dust Devil (spell)

Dust Devil is a spell that conjures a swirling, animated vortex of dust, dirt and debris, occupying a single combat hex and rising approximately 15 feet into the air. Within its churning mass, vision is obscured, making it difficult for creatures to see through or inside. The vortex moves at the caster's command, impeding movement through it's hex and forcing opponents to react to its presence. If directed to attack, the dust devil inflicts 1d8 damage upon any creature in its path, striking automatically without the need for a to hit roll.

Dust Devil

Range	30 ft.
Duration	1 round per level
Area of Effect	special
Casting Time	1 round
Saving Throw	none
Level	cleric (2nd)

The dust devil remains bound to the ground and cannot lift itself into the air, though it can ascend slopes, ramps or cliffs as terrain allows. Passing intentionally through a dust devil causes half damage (1-4), occurring upon the enemy's turn; the devil can then be made to attack during the caster's turn normally, without an attack being lost.

The caster may move the devil up to a distance of six hexes per round, or thirty feet, at a cost of 1 AP per combat round. This distance is the same whether the direction is horizontally or vertically. The deweomer does not require concentration to maintain. If the caster is stunned, or fails to expend an AP, the devil will remain in place, whirling chaotically, automatically attacking one random creature within one hex of its position. If the dust devil is directed into an occupied hex, it attacks the creature in that hex — friend or foe — afterwards, the remainder of its movement is counted as being expended and the devil must remain where it is until the next round.

The dust devil can be attacked. As a "creature," it possesses an armour class of 4 and can only be hit by magic weapons, spells or creatures that are inherently magical, such as undead or those who naturally emanate magical effects, or can perform magic at will. The devil can withstand 9 points of damage before it's dispersed and vanishes harmlessly.

The vortex automatically disrupts spellcasting for any creature in a radius of one combat hex; at the same distance, gaseous creatures are disrupted and become disoriented for 1 to 3 rounds, after which they are free to move away from the vortex at will. Such creatures cannot pass through the dust devil. The swirling winds interact with other magical effects, causing obscurement or a stinking cloud to shift unpredictably within its area but without fully dispersing them. A gust of wind can be used to dispel a dust devil, ending its effect.