Chromatic Orb (spell)
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Chromatic orb creates a sphere of magical power which the caster is able to wield as a bomb. When thrown at an enemy, the orb causes an effect, direct damage or both to a chosen target — whatever it hits, the orb bursts, sending magical shards outwards to a 10 ft. radius circle.
| Range | self; see text |
| Duration | until thrown or dropped |
| Area of Effect | 25 ft. diameter circle; see text |
| Casting Time | 1 round |
| Saving Throw | none; see text |
| Level | illusionist (1st) |
Once the orb has been cast, the caster make is manifest by discharging it into his or her own hand. This makes the orb a semi-solid object that can be thrown.
The power of the effect is determined by the orb's colour, as shown in the table below. As the caster gains experience levels, different orbs become available. The caster can create only one type of orb per day.
The caster must indicate which type of orb is being created before throwing it. If the player forgets, the DM can either dictate a default orb form; or retroact any die roll that's made without the orb having been determined, forcing the player to make the roll again.
Roll to Hit
The caster chooses a target to throw at; this may be a creature or it may be specific combat hex — if the latter, then only "grenade" damage is caused. The caster rolls a d20 to hit, needing to achieve armour class 10 to hit the desired target.
In the case of a hit, "direct" damage is delivered to the target; those within 2 combat hexes of the target take grenade damage. If a miss occurs, then the caster needs to roll a d6 to determine which random hex around the target hex was hit, determining who receives grenade damage.
This damage can potentially affect anyone, including the caster's allies.
| Caster level |
Orb colour |
Manifestation | Damage/effect | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct hit | Grenade hit | |||
| 1 | pearly | light | 1-4 | 0-1 |
| 2 | ruby | heat | 1-6 | 0-2 |
| 3 | hyacinth | fire | 1-8 | 0-3 |
| 4 | emerald | stinking cloud | — | — |
| 5 | turquoise | magnetism | 1-12 | 1-3 |
| 6 | amber | blindness | 2-16 | 1-4 |
| 8 | sapphire | paralysis | 2-12 | 1-6 |
| 10 | white | spike stones | 6-24 | 1-8 |
| 12 | ochre | quasi-elemental | — | — |
| 14 | amethyst | petrification | — | slow |
| 16 | ashen | death | — | paralysis |
Special Effects
Each sort of orb also exerts a magical effects against the target and upon the immediate environment. Each acts upon a 25 ft. diameter circle, five hexes wide, sometimes as a smaller version of familiar spells. A description for each colour is given below:
Pearly: causes a burst of light, similar to the spell, which persists for 5 rounds per level of the caster. Creatures within the area of effect make save vs. magic or be stunned for 1 round.
Ruby: releases a blast of heat that will raise the ambient temperature intensely, causing minor burns as it does. Wet leaves or rotted wood will dry instantly, ice or snow upon the ground will be turned to water, candle and lantern flames will be snuffed out; those suffering from sinus ailments will find their heads cleared. Cold-rooted magical creatures will suffer an additional +2 damage from the effect. All those affected will also be -1 to hit in the round following the blast. The heat dissipates quickly, with ambient temperature completely restored in three rounds.
Hyacinth: In addition to the damage caused, the orb causes flammable items in the targeted hex to ignite and burn, if they fail their save against normal fire. The surrounding 10 ft. radius outside the target hex will be singed and hot to the touch, but no additional effects are felt beyond damage.
