Rifts New Necromancer Spells

These spells can also be used for Heroes Unlimited, Palladium Fantasy, Beyond The Supernatural, and Nightbane in most cases.

New Level Five Necromancer Spells:

Bone Armor:
Range: Self or one other up to 30 feet (9 meters) away.
Duration: One minute (4 melee rounds) per level of the spell caster.
Saving Throw: To save vs Horror Factor only.
P.P.E.: 15

Variation on the spell "Armor Bizarre" and developed by necromancers as an alternative to Necro-Armor because while the odor of the armor can be a very effective weapon, it has limitations and makes it impossible to hide or sneak around effectively. The armor is form fitting and appears to be constructed from bone with a skull style helm. In M.D.C. Settings such as Rifts, the armor provides 15 M.D.C. per level. In S.D.C. settings, the armor provides 150 S.D.C. with an additional 15 S.D.C. per level. Armor also has an A.R. rating of 18 in S.D.C. settings. The armor also has a horror factor of 9 + 1 for two levels of the spell caster (10 at second, 11 at fourth, 12 at sixth, etc.)

Corpus Conservo (Preserve Corpse) - Lesser:
Range: Touch
Duration: One Day (24 hours) per level of the spell caster.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Ten (10)

This spell, when cast on a corpse, will preserve a corpse so that it does not rot or decay. The spell may be cast on a corpse before the corpse begins to decay but if the spell ends or is canceled, the corpse will begin to rot at an extremely accelerated rate until it is rotted to the point where the corpse would naturally have decayed to. This takes only a few minutes for this to occur. Unlike the greater version of this spell, a corpse can be moved while being preserved by the spell.

New Level Six Necromancer Spells:

Bale Blade:
Range: Close, hand to hand combat.
Duration: One minute per level of experience.
Saving Throw: Special
P.P.E. Cost: 18

This spell fills a bladed weapon (sword, knife, scythe, or other weapon) with death energies. The blade glows with a malign green energy. This spell cannot be cast on enchanted weapons but only on non-magical weapons. Hits of the weapon inflict double damage direct to hit points against S.D.C. targets and double damage in M.D.C. to M.D.C. opponents. As well, an opponent must save against magic each time struck or suffer -4 to initiative, -2 to strike, parry, and dodge as well as speed being reduced by 25% from a numbing effect.

Necromancer's Eye:
Range: Touch (Can see through eyes at a range of 1000 feet / 305 meters per level)
Duration: One hour per level of experience
Saving Throw: None

This spell is cast as a ritual on an eyeball. The eyeball must be detached from the body for the enchantment to work although couple be stuck in the socket of an animated dead. It must be in good condition and not damaged or starting to rot. Once cast, the Necromancer can look through the eye as if looking out of their own eye. The Necromancer can use the eye in a few different ways. The eyeball can be placed in a specific spot and used to watch a specific area (restricted by the vision of the eyeball.) It can also be carried by a zombie, mummy, animated dead, or other servant of the necromancer. If the servant goes out of range of the spell or duration elapses, the vision will fade.

Probe Grave:
Range: 2 feet (0.61 meter) per level of experience.
Duration: One melee round
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: 15

This spell is a companion spell to "Divining: Tombs & Graves" and is designed to give more in depth information about a grave than the divining spell does. The spell will not work on an empty grave must contain some remains in order for it to work although the body does not have to be human. The spell will tell how intact the body is, what the condition is the coffin and grave in general, and what items are interred (if any) with the body. The spell will general amount and type but not exact specifics. If there is a magic item, it will tell that there is a magic item and basic type (sword, armor, ring, etc) but not the exact enchantments.

Zombie Master:
Range: 15 feet (4.6 m) or by touch
Duration: Four melee rounds (one minute) per level of experience of spell caster
Saving Throw: Standard
P.P.E. Cost: 25

This spell is a spell with a similar effect as the spell "Charm" but works on Zombies and Mummies instead of sentient beings. This spell allows the Necromancer to command a Zombie or Mummy created by another for a limited time. Actions are limited as per a standard Zombie or Mummy. If the creature does not have any specific instructions or does not go against previous instructions of the creator, the saving throw is standard. If the command goes against any previous instructions of the creator, the creature gets +4 to save against the commands of the "Zombie Master." If the creator is within sight of the animated creature at attempts to assert command, there is a +6 to save against the caster of "Zombie Master." As well, the Zombie or Mummy gets any bonuses of spell strength from the creator of the creature. For example, if the creator has +1 to spell strength, his creature would get +1 to save against this spell.

New Level Seven Necromancer Spells:

Animal Blood Transformation:
Range: Touch
Duration: Permanent
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Twenty-Five (25)

This spell transforms animal blood so that it can sustain a vampire as if the blood is human blood. Often, animal blood is easier to acquire. The spell transforms two pints (about one liter) per level of experience. A vampire requires about two pints every forty-eight hours.

New Level Eight Necromancer Spells:

Temporary Zombie (Lesser):
Range: Touch
Duration: 20 minutes (80 melees) per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.: Fifty (50)

The standard spell to create a zombie is a long ritual which requires the spell caster to take hours under special conditions. This spell is designed to be simpler and allows the necromancer to create an undead servant with most of the abilities of a Zombie although with only a temporary duration.

While the invocation does not require the use of a circle, the trapping of the permanent spell (White or silver linin and three scented candles), and that it is cast in a graveyard during a full moon; the spell does require that the dead body is less that six hours old. One the spell elapses, the body cannot be used to create a permanent zombie or to create a mummy.

The Zombie will act similarly to a normal zombie. It can speak, read simple signs and sentences, perform simple tasks and even drive a car. This means a zombie(s) can be sent to retrieve an artifact, follow somebody, kidnap a person and so on. A zombie will only obey the person who created it and individuals whom its creator may designate as authorities.

It feels no pain, no fears, no goals and little emotion. Bullets, knives, clubs, and other physical attacks do NO damage. Mental assaults by psychics, magic charms, illusions, sleeps, curses, sickness, paralysis, and other similar attacks, do no damage. Turn dead does not work because the zombie is an undead. Banishment doesn't work because it is not actually a living supernatural being. Unlike a standard Zombie, Negate magic can destroy the creature is it fails its saving throw although remove curse has no effect

A zombie is vulnerable to magical energy attacks, such as energy bolt, fire bolt, circle of flame, and call lightning, all of which do full damage. Normal electricity, lasers, particle beam weapons and similar energy weapons do half their normal damage. Normal fire inflicts full damage. Weapons made of, or covered in silver, will do full damage whether it be blade or bullet. Zombies can also be trapped/imprisoned and blown up. Unlike a standard Zombie, the temporary Zombie does not regenerate damage.

Temporary Zombies:

Horror Factor: 12
I.Q. 7, P.S. 20, Speed 10.
Two attacks per melee, 2D4 S.D.C. damage by hand/punch or by weapon. Guns can be used, but at --4 to strike.
+2 to parry and dodge. No initiative bonus.
Most psychic and magic powers have no effect, only energy.
Fearless; no horror factor scares it. However, large fires and energy weapons/barriers will hold it at bay. A protection circle will also keep it away.
S.D.C.: 150; Can Wear M.D.C. body armor or power armor.

New Level Nine Necromancer Spells:

Dead Beat:
Range: 60 feet (18.3 meters) plus 10 feet (3.0 meters) per level of experience.
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Sixty (60)

This spell is designed to protect animated dead, zombies, mummies, vampires, and other types of the undead from repelling magic. If there is an attempt made to turn them or other magic such as wards is used against them, they get a saving throw even if they normally would not. If they would get a saving throw, the saving throw would be at a +4 to save against the magic. They also get a bonus to save equal to any bonuses to spell strength which the caster of "Dead Beat" gets. A secondary effect of the spell is than animated dead have their duration doubled while under the effect of this magic.

While this spell is in effect, a heavy beat must continue to be played. This can including a drum or thumping of some type. If the sound ceases or the creatures step out of the radius of the magic, they will lose all bonuses of the magic. This can limited the necromancer's actions due to needing to keep occupied although it does not have to be actually produced by the necromancer. It can be produced by a minion, an animated dead, and even some type of mechanical device (In Modern Settings a "Boom Box" can be quite useful.)

Flaming Skeletons:
Range: 400 feet (122 meter) / Line of vision.
Duration: 5 minutes (20 melees) per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.: Sixty (60)

This spell is a way of creating far more powerful and dangerous animated dead. This spell works on either skeletons or corpses and at the moment of casting, the bodies catch on fire. When the spell ends or the animated dead is destroyed, the corpse or skeleton collapses into dust. Like normal animated dead, they are nothing more than puppets animated by the necromancer. The necromancer completely controls them.

The necromancer can animate two skeletons or corpses with an additional one per level of experience. As well, the animated dead must remain in the caster's line of vision. If it can not be seen, it can not be animated.

Speed of animated dead is slow, speed of 7 as a standard animated dead. They have two attacks per melee and no bonuses to strike or parry. Punches from the animated dead inflicts 3D6 (M.D.C or S.D.C. as appropriate) with touches on the animated dead also inflicting 3D6. There is also a 50% chance of catching combustible materials on fire.

The animated dead must be totally destroyed to be knocked out. They take no damage from energy or energy weapons (including magical) and take only 1/3 normal damage from projectile weapons. Like standard animated dead, they are not effected by stun, death blows, or critical hits.

In an M.D.C. environment, a small corpse/skeleton (About 3 or 4 feet / 0.9-1.2 meter tall) has 50 M.D.C and in an S.D.C. environment has 100 S.D.C.
In an M.D.C. environment, a medium corpse/skeleton (About 5 or 6 feet / 1.5-1.8 meter tall) has 80 M.D.C and in an S.D.C. environment has 160 S.D.C.
In an M.D.C. environment, a large corpse/skeleton (About 7 to 12 feet /2.1-3.6 meters tall) has 140 M.D.C and in an S.D.C. environment has 240 S.D.C.

New Level Ten Necromancer Spells:

Control Bone Guardian:
Range: 50 feet (15.2 meters) per level of experience.
Duration: One hour per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: One Hundred (100)

This spell allows the necromancer to control a "Bone Guardian", an ancient animated skeletal creature. The creatures, while mindless, are basically indestructible. The creatures are only under direct control while within range of the necromancer but the bone guardian can be sent on missions beyond the control radius. Whenever the duration elapses, the guardian will continue to do whatever mission it was last assigned to until another necromancer takes control of the Bone Guardian.

Corpus Conservo (Preserve Corpse) - Greater:
Range: 50 foot (15.24 meter) radius
Duration: One Week (7 Days) per level of the spell caster.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: One Hundred and Twenty (120)

This spell is similar to the lesser version except that instead of effecting a single corpse, the spell will effect all corpses within the radius of the spell. As well, the duration is much greater. The spell prevents all corpses within the radius of the spell to not rot of decay. The spell may be cast again to prevent the corpse from decaying. If the spell is canceled, the spell ends, or if a corpse is pulled from the radius of effect, the corpse will begin to rot at an extremely accelerated rate until it is rotted to the point where the corpse would naturally have decayed to. This takes only a few minutes for this to occur.

Death Trap:
Range: 200 foot (61 meter) radius
Duration: Spell remains active one week per level of experience. Animation of Dead lasts 3 minutes (12 melees) per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: One Hundred and Twenty (120)

This spell is an alternative version of "Animate and Control Dead" which is designed as a time release spell. As soon as anyone enters the area of effect, the spell is triggered. The necromancer animating the dead needs to be nowhere near them when they are animated although they can be "turned" as normal. The sole exception to this is the spell caster. The animated dead will follow no complex commands just attack anything living nearby Restrictions:

The spell animate and control only two corpses/skeletons, plus one per level of experience. The animated dead must be in line of sight when the spell is initially cast.
The animated dead can be a corpse or skeleton. Attacks per melee: two each, Speed: 7, Damage: 1D6 from punch, bite, claw or blunt weapon. Note: The bow and arrow, cross bow and sling (as well as guns) cannot be used by animated dead, nor can magic scrolls or potions.
S.D.C. of a small corpse/skeleton, about 3 or 4 feet (0.9-1.2 m) tall 50 S.D.C.; medium, 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 m), is 80 S.D.C.; large, 7 to 12 feet (2.1-3.6 m), is 140 S.D.C. and 200 for giants.
Only total destruction of the animated dead can stop them. Disabling the necromancer animating them will not stop them. Arrows, sling bullets, gun bullets and hrown weapons do half damage. Blunt, chain and magic weapons, damage inflicting magic spells and smashing attacks do full damage. Fire does double damage! Note that animated dead cannot be stunned or affected by a death blow or critical hits, nor by psionic attacks, charms, mind control, illusions, poison, or disease.

New Level Twelve Necromancer Spells:

Bone Mask:
Range: Wearer; must be worn to be effective. Must be worn as a mask.
Duration: The mask is so empowered until it is destroyed.
Saving Throw: All who see the bone mask must roll to save vs Horror Factor of 13.
P.P.E. Cost: 240

In many ways this spell could be considered a permanent version of the spell "Death Mask" and uses a skull mask as a focus of the spell. A human skull is most common but other creatures skulls can be used to create one of these enchanted items. The mask will completely cover the wearer’s face. The mask provides the following:

Disguises the character's normal facial features.
Frightening visage evokes fear equal to a Horror Factor of 13.
Wearer is impervious to all normal disease, poisons, and magic sicknesses and curses.
Prowl at 55%

Summon Bone Guardian:
Range: 100 miles (160 meters) per level of experience.
Duration: Twenty Four hours per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Two Hundred (200)

When this spell is cast, effectively a magical call is heard by all Bone Guardians within the area of effect of the spell. If the creature is not under some form of magical command already, the bone guardian will come to the location where the call was made. They are limited by their normal speed (14) so they very well may take days or even weeks to reach the location where the summoning is made. As such, if the necromancer who made the call is no longer at that location, the bone guardians will simply wait there. They will no attack or defend but just stand and wait patiently - for all eternity possibly. While the duration of the spell continues, the Bone Guardians are relentless and will continue towards their goal twenty-four hours a day. Even after the duration elapses, they will continue towards their goal but can be commanded or summoned from another location. They simply then follow the new command or summoning in that case.

New Level Fourteen Necromancer Spells:

Claws of the Dead:
Range: Touch
Duration: One month per level of experience, or permanent.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Three Hundred (300) or Eight Hundred (800)

This ritual could be considered the Necromancer version of the wizard spell "Enchant Weapon (minor)." The necromancer crafts a set of fighting claws out of bone and/or the claws of monster races. When this occurs, the claws inflict mega-damage for the duration of the spell. The duration is temporary (one month per level) unless the necromancer speeds eight hundred psychic energy (P.P.E.) points during the ritual. In addition, unless the loss is passed on to another individual though the "Burning Glass" spell, the necromancer loses 2D4 P.P.E. from his personal reserve every time a weapon is made permanent. Similar to enchanted weapons created by a wizard, creating a permanent set of claws both a physically and mentally exhausting task, and can only be performed once every three months at maximum (or four weapons per year.) As with wizard created enchanted weapons, these weapons are not indestructible. Instead, they have an average of 150 to 250 M.D.C. Normal fighting claws inflict 4D6 M.D. while giant sized fighting claws inflict 6D6 M.D. (In non mega-damage settings, 4D6 and 6D6 points of damage.) Vibro-Claws and other high tech weapons cannot be enchanted in the same manner.

Seal Bone Guardian:
Range: Touch (Command limited to 50 feet (15.2 meters) per level of experience.)
Duration: Indefinite
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Four Hundred (400) Temporary and Five (5) for the duration of the Sealing

This spell allows the necromancer to control a Bone Guardian for an extended period, as long as the creature is sealed to them. The seal requires the necromancer to wipe his or her blood on the forehead of the Bone Guardian and while the Guardian is sealed to the necromancer, the necromancer loses 5 P.P.E. points. They can relinquish control at any time and the energies return.

While the Bone Guardian can only actually be commanded at a range of 50 feet (15.2 meters) per level of experience, the big advantage of this spell is that the guardian cannot be commanded by anyone else even if the guardian is outside of the range of control of the necromancer. If the necromancer sealed to the guardian dies, the guardian immediately becomes free of their compulsion the same as if released.

New Level Fifteen Necromancer Spells:

The Dead Horde:
Range: 2,000 feet (610 meters) / line of vision.
Duration: 20 minutes (80 melees) per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E. Cost: Eight Hundred (800)

This spell is a more powerful version of the spell "Animate and Control Dead" but instead massive numbers of the dead can be animated at one time. With this incantation the necromancer can animate the remains of dead

bodies, human, animal or monster, and mentally control them like a puppetmaster would a marionette. The remains are not alive and do not have any intelligence whatsoever. It is the sorcerer who controls their actions.

The necromancer can animate and control one hundred corpses/skeletons, plus fifty per level of experience. The animated dead to be controlled must be in the spell caster's line of vision in order to animate. The necromancer can add more to his army as he locates them. The necromancer can also send his dead puppets on simple missions such as "destroy" or "kill" and send them wander out of his sight, swinging and smashing everything they encounter. The animated dead will try to follow the command until they are destroyed or until the duration time of the magic elapses.

The animated dead can be the skeleton or corpse (humanoid, animal or monster) and has the following abilities. Speed 7, two attacks per melee round, damage inflicted by punches, kick, claws, and bites is 1D6 S.D.C., only the simplest mega-damage weapons can be used such as a flaming sword, vibro-blade, etc., modern weapons/guns cannot be used by the animated dead. Double the speed and damage of giant animals and humanoids and add one attack per melee round. These robot-like automatons don't feel pain, fear, or emotions.

Only total destruction will stop the animated dead . The only alternative is to slay their creator or render him unconscious. S.D.C. of a small skeleton or corpse is 50, a human sized one is 80, and a giant one is 140. Note that bullets and stabbing weapons (knives, swords, spears, etc . ) do 1 /3 damage, blunt and smashing weapons/attacks do full damage while fire does double damage.

Temporary Zombie (Greater):
Range: Fifty feet (15.2 meters) per level of experience
Duration: One Hour per level of experience.
Saving Throw: None
P.P.E.: Five Hundred (500)

This spell is similar to the lesser version but allows multiple temporary zombies to be created at one time anbd has a much greater duration. Two per level of experience can be created.

Temporary Zombies:

Horror Factor: 12
I.Q. 7, P.S. 20, Speed 10.
Two attacks per melee, 2D4 S.D.C. damage by hand/punch or by weapon. Guns can be used, but at --4 to strike.
+2 to parry and dodge. No initiative bonus.
Most psychic and magic powers have no effect, only energy.
Fearless; no horror factor scares it. However, large fires and energy weapons/barriers will hold it at bay. A protection circle will also keep it away.
S.D.C.: 150; Can Wear M.D.C. body armor or power armor.

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write-ups by Kitsune (E-Mail Kitsune).

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