Gorgon Crawl Classics - Invoke Prometheus

Development on Gorgon Crawl Classics (my Mythic Greece/Peplum setting for DCC) continues to putter along. I'll admit I've gotten distracted by a couple other projects, to say nothing about day-job stuff.

I plan on including three new patrons in GCC--Orpheus, Echidna, and Prometheus.

In GCC, Prometheus is something of a messianic figure. He's the creator and patron of humanity, suffering now for his crime of stealing fire for humanity. Theoretically, the PCs will eventually get a chance to help Hercules free him from his bonds.

As a patron, Prometheus' gifts are based around fire, foresight, trickery, and creation. He only grants patronage to those who fight for the common good of mankind. 

Below is the Promethean Invoke Patron table I've been using in my playtests. I'm sure it will continue to be tweaked. Enjoy!

(Also, Brendan Lasalle is including Prometheus as a patron in X-Crawl. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm eager to see how similar/different it is from mine.)

Invoke Patron: Prometheus

Roll	Effect
12-13	Gift of foresight. For the next attack, spell check, skill roll, or saving throw roll 2d20 and take the best result.
14-17	The caster can hurl fire bolts for the next CL rounds. Make an attack roll using INT against the target’s AC. Inflicts 1d4+CL on a successful hit. 60/120/180 range.
18-19	The caster’s melee weapons and that of 1d6 allies within 60’ are wreathed in flames for CL rounds. Flaming weapons are considered both magic and blessed and inflict an additional 1d6 damage.
20-23	Caster wreathed in flames for 1d6+CL rounds. Immune to fire. Their melee attacks inflict additional 1d6 damage. Opponents who strike them with a melee attack take 1d8 damage (DC 13 Reflex save for half)
24-27	Opponent must make DC 15 reflex save or be captured by adamantine chains. Cannot move or attack. Attacks against them are at +2d. Last 1d6+CL rounds. DC 25 STR check to break free. Chains are AC: 20 and have 10+CL hp.
28-29	Summon a giant vulture (stats as Pterodactyl) to pick out the target’s Liver. The bird attacks the caster’s enemies as directed and will remain until slain or one turn per caster level has passed.
30-31	Steal a target’s occupation, deed die, 1d4 thief skills, single spell, or special ability for 1d6 rounds.
32+	Sacrificial Immolation. Caster’s body explodes into flame. Every creature within 20’ of the caster takes 6d6 damage (DC 15 Reflex save for half damage). The caster’s body and all their non-magical items are reduced to ash. 1d4 rounds later, the caster’s body reconstitutes, healed of all damage, poison, and disease, but not spellburn or corruption.

Wizard Hand (a spell for Dungeon Crawl Classics)

One of my wife's favorite spells to use back in our D&D 5th Edition game was "Mage Hand." Her arcane trickster used it to great effect, swiping things from a range, causing distractions, or handling hazardous materials (like a chunk of burning star). 

When we were recently playing Dungeon Crawl Classics, she was disappointed to discover that a comparable spell doesn't exist in that game. "Invisible Servant" does serves some of the same purpose, but doesn't quite fill the gap.

So I wrote up "Wizard Hand" for DCC. It creates a floating magical hand controllable by the caster. The higher your spellcasting roll, the stronger the hand is and the more control the caster has. With high rolls, you can even use the hand to attack with weapons or use touch spells. 

You can red the spell below or download it from Google Docs.

Read and Enjoy!

Wizard Hand

Level: 1 Range: 30’ Duration: 1 turn per caster level  Casting Time: 1 Action Save: None

General: The caster summons a disembodied hand made of pure magical force. The caster can direct this magical hand using their own actions to guide it, allowing it to act as an extension of their own body at a range. 

Manifestation: Roll 1d6. The hand appears as: (1) an exact copy of the caster’s hand, (2) a skeletal hand, (3) a glowing yellow energy construct, (4) a scaly red demon hand, (5) a mailed gauntlet, (6) A white, three-fingered glove. 

Corruption: Roll 1d5: (1) The caster’s hand turns transparent, like glass. (2) The caster’s hand withers and turns skeletal. (3) The caster’s hand glows in the dark. (4) The caster’s wrist grows 2d6 inches longer. (5) Minor corruption.

Misfire: Roll 1d4: (1) The hand makes a very rude gesture at the most high-status person in range. (2) The hand undoes the caster’s belt, allowing their pants to drop to the ground. (3) The hand pokes the caster in the eyes, blinding them for 1d4 rounds. (4) The hand smacks the caster in the face, inflicting 1d4 damage. 1: Lost, failure, and worse! Roll 1d6 modified by Luck: (0 or less) corruption + misfire + patron taint, (1-2) corruption, (3) patron taint (or corruption if no patron), (4+) misfire

2-11: Lost. Failure. 

12-13: The caster summons a magical hand that can clumsily shove stationary objects with up to 5 lbs. of force. 

14-17: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 5lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. It is not quick enough to handle weapons or make attacks. 

18-19: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 10lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. It is not quick enough to handle weapons or make attacks. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire. 

20-23: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 15 lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. The hand is deft enough to use one-handed weapons, and the caster can use it to make melee attacks with their own attack bonus and may add their INT modifier to attack and damage. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire. 

24-27: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 20lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. The hand is deft enough to use one-handed weapons, and the caster can use it to make melee attacks with their own attack bonus and may add their INT modifier to attack and damage. The caster may also use the hand to deliver touch-ranged spells. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire.

28-29: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 30lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. The hand is deft enough to use one-handed weapons, and the caster can use it to make melee attacks with their own attack bonus and may add their INT modifier to attack and damage. Without a weapon, the hand can still inflict 1d4 damage (modified by INT). The caster may also use the hand to deliver touch-ranged spells. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire.

30-31: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 50lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. The hand is deft enough to use one-handed weapons, and the caster can use it to make melee attacks with their own attack bonus and may add their INT modifier to attack and damage. Without a weapon, the hand can still inflict 1d6 damage (modified by INT). The caster may also use the hand to deliver touch-ranged spells. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire.

32+: The caster summons a magical hand that can lift up to 100lbs and is dexterous as the caster’s own hand. The hand is strong and deft enough to use even two-handed weapons, and the caster can use it to make melee attacks with their own attack bonus and may add their INT modifier to attack and damage. Without a weapon, the hand can still inflict 1d8 damage (modified by INT). The caster may also use the hand to deliver touch-ranged spells. Additionally, the caster may choose to make the hand invisible if they desire.