On the Effects of Magic, 5th level Wizard

This series was originally published in April of 2014.  This is part of an effort to update and archive these posts on the "Links to Wisdom" wiki. It is also available for a free download at DTRPG.

The magical energies contained in the brain could cause side effects. When the wizard acts as a conduit, there 
are risks. As these are fifth level side-effects, the results should be noticeable.

This makes wizards somewhat more unique based on the spells they know and can prepare. It also can make them more useful or somewhat of a liability.


  • Airy Water: The wizard emits bubbles when he speaks, that only release his words when they pop. 
  • Animal Growth: This has a side effect of increasing the size of all skin parasites and bacteria between 10 and 100x their normal size. This causes the skin of the wizard to appear to crawl and large disgusting parasites constantly fall off the wizard.
  • Animate Dead: The wizards face appears to be a skull with two glowing points of light where the eyes are. He smells of freshly turned earth.
  • Bigby's Interposing Hand: The casters hand increase in size 50% and his grip strength increases as if he had a Strength of 17. This doesn't affect any damage, only the casters ability to grapple and hold on to things
  • Cloudkill: A noxious odor and haze surrounds the caster. Anyone within 5' must save or become ill.
  • Conjure Elemental: Elemental forces affect the casters clothes. A patch may catch aflame, another might become wet, some are covered in dirt, others in salt or ooze.
  • Cone of Cold: This allows the caster to fire a ray of freezing cold at any target within 20'. It requires a normal to hit roll and does 1d6+1 damage. This can be done once a round. Also, anyone within 5' of the caster takes 1 point of freezing cold damage a round.
  • Contact Other Plane: The caster is subjected to voices while this spell is memorized. They command him to do things and disrupt his concentration. Space around the caster seems to bend and warp. 
  • Distance Distortion: The caster's movement speed doubles.
  • Extension II: Spells cast by the caster last an additional 2 rounds while this spell is prepared.
  • Feeblemind: The caster must save versus spell when casting any spell, otherwise they forget what they are doing and stand confused for 1 round.
  • Hold Monster: Ghostly chains surround the magic user. When the spell is cast they lash out towards the targets, binding them
  • Leomund's Secret Chest: While prepared, the magic user is able to smell valuables, as well as disturbances in the astral and ethereal plane.
  • Magic Jar: The casters eyes are unable to focus, and she takes a -2 penalty on any attack rolls that must be made. Her skin also takes on a glassy sheen.
  • Monster Summoning III: Pentagrams begin to exude themselves from the wizards skin and clothing. They hum and hiss making it impossible to move silently.
  • Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound: The caster smells like a wet dog, and happens to arouse all nearby canines
  • Passwall: The caster becomes translucent.
  • Stone Shape: Any stone within 2' of the caster begins to bubble and turn to liquid, hardening in it's new shape as soon as the caster moves on.
  • Telekinesis: Objects nearby the caster unexpectedly rise up and float. The caster may fling one nearby object up to 1/10 the maximum weight the caster can move with the spell a round at a target doing 1-4 through 1-8 damage. The damage is dependent on the type and size of the object.
  • Teleport: The caster will occasionally teleport a few inches in a random direction. There is no danger of being high or low, but occasionally the caster will stumble or become a little stuck in the ground or air.  
  • Transmute Rock To Mud: Any rock within 5' of the wizard maintains it's hardness, but changes color and texture to that of mud. the casters clothes look filthy.
  • Wall of Force: The caster's clothing becomes translucent and exudes a purple light.
  • Wall of Iron: The caster's clothing appears to be made from iron.
  • Wall of Stone: The caster's clothing appears to be made from stone.

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