Animate Object (spell)

Animate Object

Range	30 ft.
Duration	2 rounds per level
Area of Effect	1 cubic foot per level
Casting Time	2 rounds
Saving Throw	none
Level	cleric (6th)

Imbues inanimate objects with life, providing them with mobility and a certain amount of free will. Objects transformed may be of any material—wood, metal, stone, fabric, leather, ceramic, glass, etc.

Such objects will obey the wishes of the caster, attacking, defending, impeding or otherwise serving as need be. The objects will become highly flexible with life, so that a wooden pole, for instance, would be able to bend into a half circle, or a chaise would be able to haunch itself up like a cat.

The speed and movement of the object will be dependent upon its means of propulsion and weight. A large wooden table would be rather heavy, but its legs would give it speed (5 hexes/round). A rug could only slither along, but it would be light (2 hexes/round). A large stone pedestal would rock forward at 1 hex/round, a stone statue would manage 2 or 3 hexes, depending upon the freedom of its carved legs. A wooden statue would move at 4 or 5 hexes. A light stool made of ivory or wood could move as fast as 6 hexes.

The damage done would depend upon its weight and its instrumentality. An object that could attack only by running into creatures would do 1d4 if small; 1d6 if it were 50 lbs., a d8 at 100 lbs., a d10 at 200 lbs. and a d12 at 400 lbs. Any wooden or leather object which could swing some part of itself , like a hat rack or an armchair (which could flex its back) would cause the above but with a d4 in addition. A stone or metal object, such as a statue with a sword, would double the above damage. Glass or pottery objects could destroy themselves in attacking, causing triple the damage but only one time.

Something like a rug or a tapestry has a chance of smothering opponents; in such cases, normal and small-sized opponents must make a saving throw or take half their maximum hit points in damage. It would thus take three rounds of successful smothering to kill a given creature. Large sized opponents cannot be so smothered.

The spell will allow collections of logically combined objects — such as a suit of armour, where the parts are not precisely fixed together, to act as a single unit; it could not swing a weapon, but could swing its arms or kick with its greaves. Otherwise, only 1 object may be animated by the spell.

Conversely, objects which are attached to things—like a door—would be unable to break free, but could resist opening, swing at will or bend itself to some degree in attacking others.

Objects such as swords, poles, lanterns and so on that are animated will not ‘float’ in the air as though wielded by a hand, but will be able to stand on one end and curl outwards to attack.

The total damage which any created object (regardless of its size) can sustain is 1d8 per level of the caster, with the advantage of the cleric’s constitution bonus. In effect, if the cleric chose to animate a small stool, it would be quick and hard to hit, while a massive bureau would take many physical hits before being destroyed.