Heat Metal (spell)

Heat metal causes any form of metal — conductive or otherwise — to become intensely hot. This may force a possessor of a metal item to drop it or strip it from their body, or else suffer damage from the effect. In the case of those wearing armour, removal is impossible in the spell's time frame, making these persons particularly vulnerable.

Heat Metal

Range	40 ft.
Duration	5 rounds
Area of Effect	1 hex per level
Casting Time	1 round
Saving Throw	none
Level	druid (2nd)

Some protection is offered against metal armour by padded chausses and hauberks, so that with experienced combatants, the damage isn't life threatening; however, less trained persons are apt to panic, trying to pull the armour off and in the process suffering a fatal number of hit points. "Metal armour" includes studded leather, ring, scale, chain, banded, splinted and plate armours — though the damage accruing to studded leather is half that of other types.

The caster selects which combat hexes are touched by the spell, within the spell range. Once the spell is discharged, the acted upon metal continues to heat up, even if it's removed from its hex of origin — an important detail, as the spell's intensity takes place over five rounds.

Creatures with fire-based abilities and immunity to fire are unaffected by the spell.

Effects over Time

Once cast, affected persons will be unable to do anything except manage themselves against the heat.

Round 1

The armour's heat is immediately noticeable. All creatures are compelled immediately drop any metal object in their hands. It becomes apparent that armour is rapidly heating and that stripping it away is impractical, even if wearing gauntlets; those who are able will attempt to douse the heat in nearby water or snow. This subtracts 1 point of damage, if its possible. Creatures adjacent to metal objects, such as gates, pumps, lattices or iron doors, must give one hex of ground.

Those directly in contact with metal suffer 1-3 damage, including objects worn about the body, such as glasses, jewellery, bracers and more; up to four of these objects can be removed per round to mitigate further damage. Persons in metal armour, apart from studded leather, suffer 1 damage.

Round 2

Creatures stunned by damage this round must make a saving throw vs. paralysation or fall unconscious, while continuing to suffer damage in ensuing rounds. Those in contact with metal suffer 1-6 damage; those in armour, 1-4.

Creatures that are constructed of metal or which have metal as an integral part of their bodies suffer 2-8 damage this round.

Rounds 3 to 5

Affected metal reaches its peak temperature, causing 1-8 to those still in contact with metal and 1-6 to those wearing armour. Creatures made of metal suffer 2-12. Normal objects must make saving throw vs. normal fire for all three rounds or lose half their value; metal-based fortifications must save or lose half their strength.

Round 6 & After

The effect ends with the sixth round and affected metal cools quickly; no further damage is suffered. Those who have undergone the ordeal make a boldness check; this may set others to flight also. If they hold their ground, further attacks are made at -2 to hit — a state that lasts until full hit points are restored.

Defense Against

A resist fire spell makes those affect by heat metal immune to damage. Endure heat reduces all damage suffered each round by 2 points. Creatures that are immune to fire and heat aren't affected by the spell.

Forging & Breaking

Through the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds, heated metal will become soft enough that it can be moderately reshaped or broken using an ordinary hammer and anvil. If the spell is applied to a metal door, the door must make save vs. crushing blow if it's hit with a sledge hammer of at least 6 lbs. in weight. Heated rivets can be used to fix permanent joints between cool metal objects, with construction skill.

Chill Metal

The reverse of the spell, chill metal, produces nearly of the same effects as the spell described above, except that damage from the cold is reduced by 50%. Creatures affected by the chilling are made numb by the damage, so that they're -3 to hit following their morale check in the 6th round.

Struck metal objects that have been chilled have a -2 save vs. crushing blow. Creatures with cold-based abilities or an immunity to cold are unaffected by chill metal.