ISSUE 331 MAY 2005

22 THE POINT OF POL E

ARM S
by Ari Mannell, Jason Bulmahn ,
and the DRAGON Staf f
Reach into the past with thi s
overview of D&D's longes t
melee weapons .

30 ALCHEMICAL CHARM S
by Yur i Pavlotsky
They're always after me alchemica l
charms! Find out why with thi s
look at nonmagical charms ,
droughts . and powders .

36 WONDROUS VEHICLE S
by Frank Brunne r
It ain't your dads 409, but its stil l
got plenty of power under the . . .
uh . . . tongue?

40 BEDROLLS, BOTTLES ,
AND BELL S
by Mike Mearls
You've been hauling around all tha t
crap since 1st level. Isn't it about
time you got some use out of it ?

46 THE PLUNDERER' S
HANDBOO K
by Hal Maclea n
q h no . dear reader, you really ca n
take it with you . All of it!
 8 FROM THE EDITO R
We'd tell you what Erik talks about . but
then the ninjas would kill us .

10 SCALE MAI L
Questions, compliments, an dhaikus!

16 FIRST WATC H
Previews . notes, and news for garners .

56 ECOLOG Y
Green hags . Love you will die for .

64 BAZAAR OF THE BIZARR E

The good, the bad, and the cursed .

70 SPELLCRAF T
Beware the spells of the black pyramid .

74 A NOVEL APPROAC H
A Look at Tony DiTerlizzi's Spiderwick Chronicles .

78 GAMER GUID E

80 SAGE ADVICE
The sage answers your rules questions .

84 CLASS ACTS
Tips and tricks for your favorite class .

104 COMICS
Growing up as a nerdy kid in the early 1980s, you coul d
be sure of a few things. One, there was a good chance yo u
wasted a lot of t.irne playing with Go-Rots and'Transform-
ers . Two, you Were probably into DuNGF.o s xI DRAGONS .
Three, you were obsessed with ninjas . Sure, ninjas had been
around for centuries, but . it wasn't until the early 8os that
they made a big splash in the United States .
I recently went back to the movies that kicked off '
America's ninja craze : Enter the Ninja and Revenge gf'the
Ninja, which but :h starred the inimitable Sho Kosugi, a n
undisputed master of the ninja arts . Undisputed in earl y
t.980S terms, that is . These days the movies are notabl e
mostly for their schlncky violence and gratuitous toples s
female scenes, another staple of the rg8os . Yet again, I real-
ized that you can ' t really go back to the movies you loved a s
a kid . lacy seem horrible and cheap by today 's standards . I
like to call it the. TCrul E Effect .
But they more than hit the spot with a young Frik Mona ,
and with a lot of other young Americans, too . Who my age
didn't know a kid who ordered a ninja suit from the back o f
a ninja magazine? Thanks to Sho Kosugi 's movies, we wer e
inundated with fbam ninja throwing stars, rubber ninj a
nimehucks, n irija headbands, ninja video games, ninja col-
oring books, and much, much more . The period from 1981.
to about 1985 was like a four-year ninja festival, and T fo r
one couldn't get enough of it .
DUNGEONS 8Z DRAGONS got into t:he act in 1985 with Gri -
entalAdventures, a hardcover hank that finally brought m y
favorite silent killer to my tvorite roleplaying game . TS R
scrapped the original cover for Oriental Adventures in favo r
of a new composition by Jeff 'Easley depicting a samura i
squaring off against, you guessed it, a ninja . The world, an d
countless DAD campaigns, would never be the same .
But time marched cm, and America began to tire of ninjas .
Ninjas of the teenage mutant turtle variety choked the Toys
R Us action figure lanes . Once " unique" G .I. . Joe characters
like Snake F.yes and Storrnshadow were joined by two-bi t
poseurs like the fema lc° ninja Jinx and finally -by an entire
" Ninja Force ." Michael Dudikoff'abandoned the already ter-
rible American Ninja movie franchise for such stellar films a s
Soldier Royz and Musketeers Forever . Somewhere in Asi a : Sh o
Kosugi, the master ninja himself, starred in an exercise sho w
called Ninjrterobir..uThe ninja, officially . was over.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago . I'm at work, smiling
smugly to myself after having just sent out the email invita -
tions for my new UD campaign, which will serve as a test -
ing ground for the 1a-installment Age of Worms Adventure
Path well be starting next month in the pages of - DUNGEON
magazine . I invited the entire DraAcoN/DuresoN edito-
rial and art staff to play, and was looking forward to gettin g
behind the DM 's screen for the first time in years .
E ger eager Mike McArtor, one of DRAGON 'S fine assis-
tant editors, spoke up over the cubicles almost immedi-
ately. " I 'm really looking forward to your new campaign ,
boss, " Mike said . Is it ok i l l play a ninja? "
Mike couldn' t see Inc at the time, but I 'm pretty sure I
scowled. Didn't he know about Michael Dudikoff and th e
Ninja Force and Ninjaerobics? Did n ' t he know that the ninj a
was over? Besides, how in heavens was I going to fit . a ninj a
into may beloved WORLD OF GREY- HAWK, which utterly lacke d
anything resembling the Japanese culture that spawned th e
real world ninja? " No, Mike," I said, trying to be as polite a s
possible. " You can't play a ninja in my campaign . "
A few days passed, and I began to feel guilty abou t
turning him down . I began to view GaEYlr .wx's inabilit y
to accommodate ninjas as a flaw, rather than a feature .
Therefore, I began to see my refusal to allow ninjas int o
my campaign a flaw of my UM style . I tried to remem-
her all of the things I loved about ninjas in the 8os, an d
made some changes to my campaign to allow for a cadr e
of silent masked killers . I 'm not calling them ninjas ,
but the effect is the same . Mike gets to play a characte r
with throwing stars and crazy martial arts, and he seem s
genuinely happy about it . T '~n happy to have expanded m y
limits to accommodate a great player .
But I'm drawing the line at Ninjaerobics .
Ien
Erik Mona
Editor-in-Chief
Tell us what you think of this issue . Send an email to scalemail@paizo .com .
Please include your name . city, and state .
Tfl~ LOOM BS 11 HHBfflRflBl[
I ' ve about had enough . Please stop put-
ting so much good reading content in
your magazine! T don 't have the time t o
read it all before the next one arrives !
Thanks in advance (and keep up th e
good work).
Lewis Utle y
Wokingha nn, Berkshire U K
We'll see what we can do.
WflRLO[H (1E5 H[TS, ' iEflsf
This is the first time I 've ever writ -
ten t :o your magazine after reading it
since the onset of third edition . I have
only missed one issue and ended u p
finding a hack copy of it . I 'm writin g
to tell you that I 've really enjoyed th e
magazine and the new articles you'v e
added like Class Acts. My only sug-
gestion for the magazine in its ne w
format is to maybe expand the Clas s
Acts section to encompass the other
base classes Wizards of the Coast ha s
published in the other books .
Warlocks, marshals, ninjas, an d
scouts are all classes with twenty
levels and a whole world of oppor-
tunity. Maybe we could see som e
ideas on how to make these classe s
unique? Tt would give your writer s
a chance to do something different ,
other than the initial classes in th e
Player's Handbook .
All in all, I like the new style, espe-
cially now that it. isn't confined to any
specific world . Keep up the good work!
David Wray
Newport News, VA
While we want to keep the Class Acts
section focused on the core classes intro -
duced in the Player ' s Handbook . look
for other articles supporting the ne w
"core " classes soon . Speaking personally,
I 've got a scout and a ninja in my Ag e
of Worms Adventure Path playtest cam-
paign, so I 'd certainly find such article s
useful. I know a lot ofyou tiuil2, too . If
you haven ' t yet checked out any of th e
classes in the Complete books, I highly
recommend that you do . They give expe-
rienced players some new toys to play
with, and they add breadth to the fantasy
provided by the core rules . They won't ever
take over the magazine, but they will prob -
ably appearfrom time to time.
DRflGOH flKHRflt HO . E ?
Reading through issue #329's Scal e
Mail this morning, I found a refer-
ence to DRACON Annual #6 . After man y
moments of wonder 1 looked throug h
the back issues of DRncou on my shel f
to find that I do not have that annu-
al and was also unable to find it in th e
back issues section of your web site.
Have 1 just missed out or is this some -
thing to look forward to in the future ?
Darren McDowell
Portland, T N
toot ' s DRaGoN Annual ##6 was titled
"dzo Special " on the cover, and feature d
a painting by Wheel of Time cover art-
ist Darrell K. Sweet. It contained article s
explaining the then-new dad System, tip s
on adapting your favorite TV shows to
dad, and glimpses at third-party diso mate-
rial like Freeport and Dragonstar. You ca n
find it on the Paizo website in the "specia l
issues " section of the T)RAGON Store .
API[ DR9GOH
You guys put out a great magazine ,
but T was wondering if you were eve r
going to put out more information
GRcYI-rAWK, D ' D's beloved origi-
nal setting, took its name from th e
world's most important urban area,
the Free City of GREYH.AWK . In 1989 ,
TSR created the first RPG supple-
ment featuring the metropolis in Th e
City of GRrYFIAWK boxed set . The box
contained four full-sized (meanin g
eight-panel maps, two 96-page book s
(GraEYHAWK : Folk, Feuds, and Faction s
and GREY HAWK : Gem of the Flanress) ,
and twenty-four cardstock adventur e
idea generators .
The cardstock adventure idea s
are neat and the hooks brim wit h
GRe_eE-{AWK lore that leaves thi s
magazine's editor-in-chief and asso-
date editor slavering, but the map s
upgrade this product from merel y
functional to infinitely useful .
One map shows a fairly standard
cartographic representation of th e
City of Greyhawk, complete wit h
lettered key that corresponds t o
descriptions found in the GREYHAWK :
Gem of the Flanaess book. It serves
its purpose as a functional city map .
A second map puts the city in per-
spective with the setting that bears
its name, showing such adventure-
laden locales as the Cairn Hills, th e
Mistmarsh, Nyr Dyv, and Woolly Bay .
The third map ramps up the coolnes s
by showing the major undergroun d
waterways, sewer lines, tunnels ,
and crypts, and provides outline s
of above-ground buildings for ref-
erence . Best of all, the final ma p
provides an isometric map-pictur e
of the city, showing the height an d
appearance of every building in th e
city. That's right . . . every building!
on epic level characters and cam-
paigns? T like to play at high level ,
but haven't seen anything new sinc e
issue #297. Is there a future plan fo r
another epic issue, or is Wizards o f
the Coast going to come out with a
Complete Epic book? If nothing else ,
I'd like to see an iSSILe dedicated t o
higher-level characters, with prestig e
classes taking characters from leve l
15 and up.
Dave Pepper
Mountain Home, T D
We don't currently have any plan s
to revisit epic material in the page s
of this magazine, but you ' ll want t o
check our sister magazine, DUNGEON ,
which next month features " Th e
Quicksilver Hourglass, " an adventur e
for 3oth-leuel characters . If Wizard s
of the Coast plans to release anothe r
epic book, I ' rn afraid we don 't kno w
about it .
I attended a local to= wn CREYHAW K
convention in Champaign, IL a coupl e
of weekends back . After a rough after-
noon slot, I composed the following
haiku during the dinner break to su m
up my experiences ;
Dice want to kill me.
Attack roll? Saving th row? Ha !
It 's another one .
Chris Riff
Chicago, IL
You send a short note,
To the poets of DRAGON .
We respond to it .
~flOfl
Ts it just me, or do chick gainers scare
you, too? When chicks get into game s
they get way too good at it . But don' t
get roe wrong, it ' s hot! I love chick
garners. When 1 went to Gen Gon, I
was worried I wouldn ' t see any goo d
looking girls or women, but I saw s o
many I was loving it . What do yo u
guys think?
Ethan 1 .afon d
Los Angeles, CA
Like all wars, the war over wh o
Dragon has the coolest desktop actio n
I figures is won or lost by whoeve r
Ta maintains the most cutting-edg e
arsenal . If you've been forced to esca-
late in response to Bob in Accounting 's acquisition of Alie n
Hominid figures, then point your browser to neokaiju .co m
and bear witness to a set of figurines like you ' ve never see n
before . Seriously : unlike most figures, the bizarre critters of th e
Neokaiju Project are not derived from any movie, game, or car-
toon . Each of the project's five talented artists created one figur e
based on mythical Japanese monsters (kaiju) and one origina l
creation . For example, Nuthugger, a sinisterly cute green squir-
rel, or Steam Punk, a three-headed, winged, cast-iron-potbelly-
staved, red-eyed . . . King Gbidorah . Although so indie that few hav e
ever heard of them, the Neo Kaiju collection exhibits obvious artisti c
skill . Obscurity plus quality equals the atom bomb of desktop actio n
figure collections . -Mike Fehlaue r
I think I wish they made up more than 6% Now, six years later, I run four afte r
of our readership. school DU groups-one still features
some members of that original sixth -
No CHILD LEFT BfHIfl D grade group that are now juniors in
T am a middle school teacher i n high school . (Imagine going back t o
Oregon . Six years ago, we had a grou p your muddle school to play games with
o f - boys who were very noisy in a stud y your teacher!) From four it has grown to
hall . Like all sixth-grade boys, they include nearly 3 ; kids who have come to
had boundless energy and nowher e share with me the love of DtkD . it ha s
to put it . I was not the teacher of th e not been easy. T have had to fight par-
class, but after noticing one boy read- ents who say t am promoting violence ,
ing the third edition D&D Players ' evil, and even Satanism, but the smile s
Handbook (which T had just recently on those kid s ' faces when they solve th e
bought even though T had not playe d puzzle, conquer the monster, or save th e
in nearly 15 years), T sat down with th e city arc all worth it . I have seen som e
boy. Our conversation soon became a students who struggle with social skill s
circle of boys, and I talked with 'he m learn to compromise, communicate
about th.c game that I have loved sinc e well, and figure out the nature of what i s
fourth grade. Soon we started an alte r supposedly "good" and "evil .'" The gam e
school club with the condition that is about choices, and T am glad tha t
they keep up on their class work an d so many Coijtinnc : to learn to play th e
homework so that we could play . I t game from me every year. Thank you ,
was an amazing motivator! DUNGEONS at DRAGONS, 10r all the flll i
and all the life-long lessons disguise d
as a game.
Christina '['rac y
Salem, O R
At the risk of repeating myself for th e
millionth time, T learned how to play
D&D in an after school class exactly
like the q neyou 're teaching . A part of
me has always worried that classes tik e
that would have died out when the 'fad "

8attlestar Galactica (the origi -
Dragon nal TV series) is one of thos e
I k Gen X cultural icons that defi-
Ta nitely benefits from nostalgia .
The core concept was great :
The last remnants of human civilization lim p
through space in a ragtag fleet, searching for a
**mythical homeworld (Earth) that might or might
not exist, all the while pursued by genoc i da l
robots-former slave-druids that revolted an d
wiped out humankind terminator-style . Memor y
highlights this cool nomads-in-space plot whil e
ignoring the show's cheesy dialogue and looped
action scenes. Thankfully, 8attlestar Galactic( )
(the new TV series) brings these rosy recollec-
tions to life with better actors, expensive set s
and locations, special effects and camera wor k
from the guys who did Firefly, and even a ne w
plot twist of paranoia . In this updated versio n
of Battlestarthe Cylons have evolved from thei r
mechanistic origins into something like Blad e
Runner's Replicants : they look and sound lik e
humans, have human emotions, and might not
even be aware that the y ' re Cylon . Smart sci-fi i s
still alive on TV thanks to this tautly written rec-
ollection . Er, recreation . -Mike Fehlaue r
aspect of D D faded away in the late what you are doing, because for ever y
a98os, but it's reassuring to know tha t x,ooo people who complauu there are
folks like Christina are still carrying th e another io,ooo who are fully contente d
torch . Who knows, Christina? Mayb e by everything you do.
one of your young players will be editin g
DRAGON one day !
long, long time. And a lot of those captions
were pretty awful.
Like every DRAGON editor before me,
I'm tinkering with a any to bring back
Dragonmirth . a page of short strips and
single-panel gags. When I first started read-
ing DRAGON, Drugonmirth was byfin'
my favorite part of the magazine, the firs t
thing r dflip to as soon as my .suhser-iptio n
arrived . But it's difficult to wrangle a hunch
of cartoonists, and it 's difficult to make the
section consistentlyfienny. I recently took a.
trip through the archive, and I d guess 85 %
of those strips weren 't the least hit humor-
ous. On the other hand, I copied a handfil l
of them and posted them on my office wall .
so there 's a lot of potential,
Asfor complainers, well, we ' ll always
have them . But ('my time over o n
DUNGEON magazine has taught m e
anything, it's that even the fours who bit-
terly complain about the magazine buy i t
because they love DUNGEONS 8z DRAGON S
and believe in the rnagazines ' potential. And
often, their criticisms are valid . The bes t
derision I ever made on that magazine was
to listen to i .vhat the readers wanted, and
make changes that would make the maga-
zine better for everyone. Only time will tel l
if I succeeded (thanks in no small part to
the help of an incredible stem, but the early
indicators are good .
Michael Pidacks
Boston, M A

If IT ' S NOT ONE TH1NC . . . The Caption Contest vanished before my

Well I was looking over some ol d
issues and some new issues and what I
found was quite interesting. In the ol d
issues people complained about ho w
the issues were too centralized an d
after a while they tired of reading abou t
the same things. But in the new issue s
people were corriplaining alma! . ho w
the issues were not cenlrahzed enough .
Can't people make up their minds ?
Well, I think either way you .ire doing a
good job . livery issue T manage to fin d
something interesting to use, either fir e
use with one of env characters or as a
DM . Also, where is the Caption Con -
test? That was always funny, no rrratte r
how lame it was . In any case, keep up
time, but I think I prefer Tony Moseley
spending his time on a fiadl page of Zogoni a
every month . It's my favorite cartoon in a
DRHGON Mflaf Mi FflfOIiS
I want to say thank you to the folks at
Paizo . Not only did you give me my
dream of ho rig published In DRAGON
magazine, you also helped me achieve
my other goal of being a human inter-
est story in a local newspaper .
David Schwart z
Palmerston North, New Zealand
 "Take my love, take m y
Dragon
land, take me where I can -
not stand . I don 't care; I 'm
a still free . You can't take the sky from me ."These opening lyric s
instantly set the mood for the television show Firefly : sorrowful
and defiant . Created by Joss Whedon (also responsible for Rqb5t the Vampire Slaye r
and Angel),this masterpiece combined a perfect blend of hard sci-fi (no sound i n
space, no aliens, no hand-held laser guns) and classic western (gunfights, double -
crosses, bar brawls) elements. Fven though horribly butchered and then cancelle d
by Fox(they aired episodes out of order-the pilot was aired last), Firefly gaine d
tremendous popularity through UVU sales and evangelical fans, ultimately compel -
ling Universal to produce a feature-length Firefly movie, currently entitled Serenity
and due out this Fall . if you wished Star Wars had focused more on Han and less o n
Luke and his issues, be sure to cheek out Firefly. -Mike Fehlaue r

BLRnD-B1 D continue to publish articles that tie the real

Okay, for starters let me just say that I
recently renewed my subscription. Afte r
waiting patiently for my cheek to clea r
and receiving my second issue, I must
say that I find the issue rather bland . I
know some people have an interest i n
things of Earth's past and might actually
nrr, adventures based on the history of
our planet . Personally though, if T wante d
that. kind of info I'd look it up the ne t
and stal out my own monsters (which I
have done in the past) . Anyway, I found
most of the issue unusable. My bigger
gripe is with the loss of - the Winnin g
Races article. I enthusiast :ica]]y enjo y
reading it and finding a way to incorpo-
rate them into my campaigns. Where di d
it go and is it going to col tie back ?
Charles Wcnzlcr, Jr.
Scottsdale, A Z
Sony that the issue didn't provide rvbatyor c
were looking for ; Charles. The great thing
about a general magazine dike DRAGon is
tlaatyou can be sure each month 's conten t
will difjh' rom. the last. Even if the features
miss their mark, we hope that regular sec-
tions like Class Acts and .Ecologies give yo u
something you can use in your game . We'll
world to D8D, but i t 's not something we'l l
do every month . In fact, I encourage readers
to scour nonfiction books and websites fa r
inspiration for their game . The history of th e
real world is ofte n , far more fascinating tha n
anything cooked up in a fantasy novel . That
said, the chief f ocus of DrAGoN is fantasy,
and it will remain so forevermore.
Winning races will return, infr equently,
when we receive appropriate submissions.
No useforcing more animal-people o n
readers until we have something really
compelling to offer.
MY PURSE BE Too IIG E
With apologies, my unemploymen t
and lack of funds forces me to declin e
subscription renewal . Though I'll
long for yon informative columns an d
amusing anecdotes, I 've not the coi n
to continue . Bc assured I 'll seek-ye ou t
and return to thine bountiful articles a t
the earliest opportunity.
Keith Nagai
Torrance, CA
And well be here in the darkness waiting
for you. You 'd better hope you makeyou r
Spot check. -Erik Mona
 Do-gooders of th e Turn your `
Realms beware ! favorite epitt%' a
Champions ofRui n fantasy nove l
reveals the evi l or war movi e
machinations an d into a D&D
mindsets of doz - adventure
ens ofFORGOTTF.N with Heroe s
REALMS organiza - of Battle. No more endlessly

tions, monstrosi - tracking innumerable individual

ties, and villains ,
such as Dendar the Night Serpen t
and Kezef the Chaos Hound .
Designed by Jeff Crook, Wil
Upchurch, and Eric L. Boyd, Cham-
pions of Ruin compliments the Boo k
of Vile Darkness, using that fou l
work to make the Realms deadlie r
than ever before . Follow the dark
path with three new races, variou s
cults, and chilling prestige classe s
like the Blood Cultist or Nigh t
Mask Deathbringer. Even if you
don't run a FORGOTTEN REALM S
game, much of the new materia l
in Champions of Ruin translate s
easily into other gaming worlds ,
but unleash such dangers at your
own risk . --S.B.
NPCs, a point-based system deter -
mines how characters' specifi c
actions affect entire armies, keep-
ing the focus on players throug h
all kinds of warfare . As PCs com-
plete military missions, they earn
more than just XP and gold, but
m i €itary ranks, medals, and control
aver the tide of battle. Designed b y
David Noonan, Will McDermott,
and Stephen Schubert, Heroes of
Battle works with any campaign
setting, taking inspiration fro m
real medieval warfare and tactics ,
but with the excitement of all you r
favorite fantasy elements . Becom e
a master of warfare and reshap e
your campaign world with Heroes
of Battle. -S .B.
DRAGON gives you the best in gaming ,
presenting new official rules, origina l
game content, great advice, and th e
perfect inspiration for your D8( D
game . In each issue, you ' ll also se e
what cool products are on the hori-
zon, find out what other players are
up to, and get an insider 's look at th e
industry. Get more from your game:
Get DRAGON !
Chromatic Player Characters
by Mike McArtor
You asked of it] Last year, DRAGO N
brought you the rules for playin g
metallic dragons as PCs. i his year, we
delve deep into the black heart of evi l
dragons, presenting all five chromati c
dragons broken down into levels yo u
can use for your characters.

Cult of the Dragon Belo w

Once upon a time there was a toy designer in by Keith Baker
serious need of therapy. Fortunately for us, h e EBERRON ' S creator gives us insigh t

hasn' t gotten it yet . into the diabolical plans of those wh o

Todd McFarlane is back this month wit h
Twisted Fairy Tales, the fourth installment in
his McFarlane's Monsters series (spawn.com) .
As with much of his work, these six famous
figures are an exquisitely detailed mix o f
disturbing and erotic. Drool over the gothic
Gretel as she contemplates her caged
brother or lose your lunch over Humpt y
Dumpty's splattered innards-all the
king's horses and all the king's men aren' t
going to touch him this time .
Whether you introduce the barbaric Pete r
Pumpkin Eater into a campaign or just scare your
friends with Miss Muffet's spider, these models
are sure to help you live happily ever after. 71.S.
worship the horrors of Khyber, th e
Dragon Below.
Cutting up the Drago n
by Matt Forbec k
The dragon is dead, but what d o
you do with the carcass? Lear n
about the juiciest bits and what yo u
can make out of them .
Plus :
A super-sized Ecology of the Kohold ,
Dragon Spells, Class Acts, Bazaar o f
the Bizarre, First Watch, Scale Mail ,
Spellcraft, Sage Advice, and comics .
 a
and take up aYib~5 a~rv ` +e Empire e
myth 4
a
..a realm af basedoi' : ese folklore,
°: are (al early well loved orlegendary D&D
e§ Tike the Ealdur's Gate series and
envsinter Plaghts,biowa re.com} is trying
mething a bit different wit11 fade Empire,
awing on cinematic martial arts and
• .'c to craft a fast-paced, action-oriented
a,. moat system . You can literally dual-
+'eld b.amhocks, which is surely a firs t
i ,,eir the genre- Jade Empire is published b y
s l and is available now, -~.H. Backdrop: The Ring of Storm s
by Keith Bake r
The land of Xen'drik holds man y
secrets and wonders long forgotte n
by the children of the modern age.
Among these lie the ruins of a myste-
thir ,; a -tent' J' rious sect of long-lost elves called th e
But hi a , : dd F' Qabalrin, whose shattered cities lie
Ylothin v, f the, within the mysterious Ring of Storms .
hcoz i3 i b, TO. , e`from An EBERRON backdrop straight fro m
r diicate.e6ut),
1 tors of the the selling's creator!

For near ' ght 5yns has concocted gothic soundscape s Final Resting Plac e
that tantalize rh mid Hour sees the hand getting hack to by Michael Kortes
gothic riots ,. e the d ran1ehmd and enter the creepy Most like to think that when thei r
verghast family it ~-~" •? e hed their CD release Gates of number is finally up, their colleague s
This tinac s^ and' s acv twist to their sound with vocals will bring them home fora prope r
i4 iiane. In all, an excellently dark way to spice u p burial . But will the PCs drawthe line
your 'x r -au players watching the shadows . -ML. E at hauling an adventurer's corpse out
of the Underdark?A D8(D adventur e
for 3rd-level characters.

Fiendish Footprint s
Have a pesky dragon to get rid of? Learn how wit h by Tito Leati
Quirk Productions 's (quirkpackaging.com) Field Guides A tiny map puts the PCs on the trail o f
to Magic and the Paranormal. the fiendish foot, an item of vast nec-
Aimed at younger audiences (or just trying to mak e romantic potential. Will your heroes
the feats it details look easier than they are), each boo k beat a band of hobgoblins to the foot ?
in the line comes jam-packed wi [ .h art : and stills fro m And what of the object's va m piri c
some of the best (and worst) nunister narn•-€es out there . protectors? A D&D adventure for 5th -
Learn bow to catch a ghost, negotiate with dragons, o r level characters .
boric your psychic abilities, all in the 20 minutes it [sake s
you to breeze through these pocket-sized manuals. Root of Evi l
Grown-up readers may be hard pressed to locate a n by Mike Mead s
original idea but should enjoy the Worst-( 'case Scenari o The demon tree Malgarius spread s
Survival Handbook 's feel, and each of these handbook s its diseased roots through the heart
has the potential to be the new favorite for a littl e of a great city . Only the most power-
gamer-to-be . While. currently out of print, most o[ th e ful adventurers have what it takes t o
series remains available through websites like ama- enter and return alive. A D81.D adven -
zon.com. -] .5 . ture for 18th-level characters.
 at s ri• t, we i soon see a nin incarnation o f
be famed Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy-this time
on the big screen. on
The book's author, Douglas Adams, wrote ofthe ;
lie screenplay before his death, and the movi e a clr=i ,
stars Martin Freeman (Declan in Shaun of the hk e
Dead) as Arthur Dent, Mos Def (The Italia n DM Inevitably
rob) as Ford Prefect, Stephen Fry (Wilde an d faces. Fortu- .
umerous Blackadder roles) as the Voice of nately, there's
I :e Book, Warwick Davis (Willow) as Marvin now an easy
. ; :though Alan Rickman provides the Paranoid Android 's voice , and solution.
I ohn Mallcovich as a religious leader (a role that Adams created espe- Introducing
ally for the actor). So grab your towel and head to the cinema, Hitchhik- Magnificent Egos '
r 's Guide to the Galaxy is in theaters now. -D.D. (rgnificentegos.
corn), an artist-cen-
tered miniatures
company dedi-
I'rr,l1 Slayers and Rat Catchers return in the revamped cated to producing
llWarhalamer Fantasy Rolejrluy Ind edition game . Designe r unique models fro m
Chris Praznras made sure the nen edition kept fi n the personality
f :tc'oritea like the quirky career system :Ind supe r sketch up.
speedy character generation, while minis remai n While
strictly optional . having
The 2. .6-page lull-color core rulebook contains notable
everything you need to get started . as well as thre e fantasy art-
adventures so you can start playing right away . Acces- ist Jason Engle as its Creative/
sories and expansions to the game are also already i n Art Director certainly doesn't
the works, including a GM Pact; and the Characte r hurt, one of the innovation s
Record Pack . Games Workshop/Black Industrie s that truly makes Magnificent
Egos stand out is its Arti-
L' expects to publish eight Warhamnner hooks per year, plu s
en more accessories . For more on Wriehammer Fantasy Roleplay . and edition ,
t blackindustries .cor . -SR-
facts and Dweomers line,
featuring a variety of spell
effects miniatures. Although
generally targeted at specific
D8CD spells-it doesn't take an
No, it's not a tropical fruit. Mangy 18 Intelligence to notice that
means Japanese-style graphic nov - their levitating disk mini bears
els, the fastest-growing segment o f a striking resemblance
the publishing industry represent s to Tenser's famous cre-
nothing less than the future of com - ation-a little imagi-
ics-the leader in the field, TOKYO - nation can stretch
POP, is on the cusp of taking the number each model a long way.
three position (behind only Marvel and DC Comics) . - Is that affaming sphere ,
TOKYOPOP has something for everyone among their millions of vol- or a living fireball from
umes in print D80 fans will find inspiration in their dozens of fantasy titles , EBERRON? Mordenkainen's
such as Alichino, Arcana, Culdcept, Dragon Hunter, King of Hell, Priest, the Queen s' s.'rdyor:adancimgblade ?
Knight, Slayers, Sorcerer Hunters, and V ision ofEscafloume, to say nothing of their 'r q' way, these minis
licensed works such as Warcr of t: The Sunwell Trilogy and dozens of others, wire~t yottil
Even if you think there's nothing to manga but big eyes and spiky hair, the never againhave to
range of artistic styles varies dramatically from artist to artist, assuring that say "Just ma neit's
anyone can find something to get excited about . Check out tokyopop.com and where this die is "
discover an entire library of fantasy worlds you never knew existed . -M.L .F ti
 Have you ever said, "Where can 1 find a real life-sine dungeon to adventur e
in? " If not, go ahead and ask yourself right now . We'll wait .
Done? Good, because we've got the answer-True Dungeon, making a Iri -
uinphant return l:o Gen Con lady this year, -bigger and better than ever . Thi s
exciting dzo variant, created by Jeff Martin (of Dwarven Forge fame) is some -
thing between RPG and L .ARY, giving garners a chance to make [heir way i n
teams of seven through a fizll-size dungeon . featuring exciting sets and interac-
tive props . This year, each event of this huge event starts in a 6,ooo- square-foo t
medieval fantasy village, complete with inn . tavern, and shops to purchase sup -
plies at . From there . make your way into the dungeon itself, where you ' ll wor k
with your teammates to solve puzzles, check for traps, and keep an eye out for
monsters in the shadows . All this and more. in a two-and-a-halt-hour-long adven-
ture you 'll never forget .
In response to feedback from players, this year's Tine Dungeon is greatly expande d
and improved . The event will be moving across from the Jb hibit Hall to the Mar-
riott Grand Ballroom, doubling in size :and adding the Trace Dungeon Tavern (wit h
free admission!) . with more NPCs, more props, a secret ~' IP area, and a back alley fir .
"shadier sorts," -Inside the dungeon itself garners will discover improved lighting ,
more monstrous surprises, and a DUNGEON MASTER assigned I:0 each room. T .uok-
ing for a greater challenge? Wry the Hardcore .Adventure, guar :an[.eed to test you r
wits, skill, and daring even fbrther .
Last time around, over 1,5oo garners participated (including Wil Wheaton o f
Star Trek and Du_sc:? :oN magazine frare), and the event sold out during pre-reg-
istration . Pre-register online :at gcncon.com (starting May rah), or visit the Tru e
Dungeon website (truedungeon .com) tar more info . -M .d .F:

In 2005 the RPGA 's very ow n ested in future DYI) products, min- set up for both D&D and STA R
show, WINTER FANTASY, rolle d iature releases, and similar questions . WARS MINIATURES . Wizards of the

into the nation's capitol withi n
sight of the Washington Monu-
ment and Pentagon.
Situated on two floors and spread
across three rooms, WINTER FANTAS Y
offered a larger amount of tables than
in recent times . The show kicked off
Thursday with a presentation from
Wizards of the Coast's D&D brand
team. Wizards of the Coast, keeping
true to its word, is serious about
presenting the plans for D&D to its
most loyal consumers by talking fo r
the first time about plans for the
upcoming year. Charles Ryan (Brand
Manager for Roleplaying Games) an d
Mary Elizabeth Allen (Brand Manager
for DatD MINIATURES) led a packed
meeting of enthusiastic garners inter-
Afterwards, the RPGA held one of it s
twice-yearly members meetings . Pre-
senters Stephen Radney-Macfarland
and I gave updates on the RPGA fol-
lowed by fielding questions from th e
floor. The news included the launc h
of the new EBERRON campaign,
increased rewards through the DSt D
Rewards program, and the win d
down of both the Legcacy of the Green
Regent campaign (end 2005) and Liv-
ING FORCE campaign (end aoo5).
Meetings aside, it was time t o
game . Showpiece games lined a
large percentage of the main roo m
with buildings and full-color map s
featured on several tables . Else-
where, players clashed swords and
fired blasters at a number of tables
Coast set up a retail booth for thos e
that simply didn't have enough or
needed the newest miniatures .
In total, WINTER FANTASY ran
nine slots of games with ove r
55 tables filled per slot . Game s
included events for LIVING GREY -
HAWK, Mark of Heroes (EBERRON) ,
Legacy of the Green Regent (FoRGoT -
TEN REALMS), LIVING DEATH (Mask
of the Red Death), LIVINGARCANIS ,
LIVING SPYCRAFT,and more . With
new events like STAR WARS MINIA -
TURES leagues, sanctioned tourna-
ments every day, and the avid hel p
of local GMs this year ' s WINTER
FANTASY proved to be one of th e
most successful and player-activ e
shows to date .
 he sword and battleaxe are the staple weapons of - it, but you can't use it against foes closer than that . lf you use a

T fantasy. They ' re effective, but more importantly ,

they 're cool. Almost every great hero carries one .
Historically, however, the pole arm was t he dominan t
ready action to set an curd pike against a charge, you deal . dou -
ble damage on a successful hit against a charging character .
Axe, Orc Double :'i he orc double axe consists of a pai r
weapon type on many a battlefield, and it proved far mor e of large double-sided axe heads mounted ou both ends o f
common than the sword or axe throughout many culture s a pole . An orc double axe is a double weapon . You can fight
and over many centuries . It was easier to make and to learn with it as if fighting with two weapons, but if you do, yo u
than the sword, but that's hardly the only reason. Whe n incur all the normal attack penalties associated with fightin g
wielded by a skilled combatant, the pole arm is a devastatin g with two weapons, just as if you were using a one-handed
weapon, one that has advantages over swords and axes unde r weapon and a light weapon . A creature wielding an orc dou-
many circumstances . Unfortunately, the DNl] rules as writte n ble axe in one hand can't use it as a double weapon-only
make pole arms a suboptimal choic e one end of the weapon can be used in
for anyone with ,Martial Weapon Pro- any given round .
ficiency. Presented herein is a range By its. simplest defiriftivt, a ;pol e Rardiche : This weapon combines a
of options designed to make the pol e arm is any tf ahded weapon that ;•. pale with long curving cleaver blade ,
consists mostly of4long straight '
arm specialist a warrior to be feared , mounted near the tip. A bardiehe i s
sl afdflen with a blade, spike, or
someone who stands on equal footin g cumbersome and unwieldy but devas-
oth rtattackin
, 1'rni5lerrment at either I
with the most skilled axe-bearing bar- tating when it strikes .
end. . ically, #§ , : 'werem o
barians or sword-wielding knights . fre9ue ,jlyused .3-t . :: Bec de Corbin : Also called a " raven 's

POLE 11R~ andolppon nts o igher groun d

Many pole arms ha=reach ; but tha t
beak," the bee de corbin has both th e
head of- an exceptionally -heavy pic k
a SCRIP' IDN S is not intrinsic to thedetn ninon,' ; and a spear blade . A het- de corbin ha s
The weapons found on the Com - reach . You can strike opponents 1 0
plete Pole Ann Chart are describe d feet away with it, but you can't use i t
below along with any special option the wielder (" you") has against an adjacent foe . Tfyou use a ready action to set a be e
for their use . de corbin against a charge, you deal double damage on a
Asikus : 'I he ankus is made up of a long dull hook alon g successful hit against a charging character.
with a blunt point attached to a pole . An ankus has reach . Duos : The duom is a longspcar with a standard spear -
You can strike opponents 10 feet away with it, but you can' t head, as well as two blades curved so that they poin t
use it against an adjacent foe, You can use an ankus t o backward along the shaft.. The weapon has reach, allowin g
-Make trip attacks . if you are tripped during your own tri p you to strike opponenets 7 .(] feet away with it. Those profi -
attemp' ., you can drop the ankus to avoid being tripped . cient with the doom can also attack adjacent ides with th e
Awl Pip e : Built similarly to a longspear, the awl pike i s reversed heads using a practiced " reversed strike ." Apply a
almost 15 feet long. You can strike opponents 15 feet away with -2 penalty on the attack roll if you use the duos to attack a
C DPlPLETE PDLE HHN C IHRf
The following pole arms are useful in almost any campaign . Al! require two hands to wield .
Range
Simple Weapon Cost Dmg (S) Dmg (M) Critical Increment Weight Type
Two-Handed Melee Weapon s
Fauchard l 7 gp ld6 1d8 x3 10 lb. Slashin g
Langspear l,2 5 gp 1d6 1d8 x3 9 lb . Piercin g
Quarterstaff 5 - ld4/ld4 1d6f1d6 x2 4 lb . Bludgeonin g
Spear 2 2 gp ld6 ld8 x3 20 ft . 6 !b . Piercin g

Range
Martial Weapon Cost Dmg (5) Dmg (M) Critical Increment Weight Typ e
Two-Handed Melee Weapon s
Bardiche 9 gp ld8 1d10 x3 - 12 lb. Slashin g
Duom 1,6 20 gp ld6 ld8 x3 - 8Ib . Piercing
Glaive l 8 gp 1d8 1d10 X3 - 10 lb. Slashin g
Guisarme l,3 9 gp ld6 2d4 X3 - 12 lb. Slashin g
Halberd 23 10 gp ld8 1d10 x3 12 lb. Piercing or slashin g
Lucerne hammer s 12 gp ld6 2d4 x4 - 10 lb. Bludgeoning or piercin g
Naginata' 10 gp 1d8 1d10 x3 15 lb. Slashin g
Partisan 1 12 gp ld6 2d4 X3 - 12 lb. Piercing or slashin g
Pilum' 5 gp ld6 1d8 x3 2011 . 6 lb. Piercing
Ranseur 1,4 10 gp 1d6 2d4 x3 - 12 lb. Piercing
Spetum 4 10 gp 1d6 2d4 x3 - 8 lb. Piercin g
Voulge l 10 gp ld8 1d10 x3 - 141b. Slashin g

Rang e
Exotic Weapon Cost Dmg (5) Dmg (M) Critical Increment Weight Typ e
Two-Handed Melee Weapon s
Ankus 1,s 15 gp ld6 2d4 x2 15 lb. - Bludgeonin g
Awl pike 2i 6 10 gp ld6 ] .d8 x3 10 lb. Piercin g
Axe, arc double' 60 gp ld6/ld6 1d8/1d8 x3 15 lb. Slashin g
Bec de corbin 1,2 28 gp ld6 2d4 x4 14 lb. Piercin g
Goad 6 8 gp ldb 2d4 x2 - 10 Ib. Bludgeoning or piercin g
Greatspear l 25 gp 1d10 2d6 x3 10 ft . 9 !b . Piercin g
Lochaber axe 1,3 18 gp ld8 1d10 x3 - 15 lb . Slashin g
Longstaff 5,6 15 gp ld4/ld4 1d6/1 .d6 x2 - 6 lb . Bludgeonin g
Poleaxe, heavy' 20 gp 1d10 2d6 x3 - 15 lb. Piercing or slashin g
Ritiik 6 5 gp ld6 1d8 x3 6 lb . Piercin g
Sasumata 1,6 8 gp ld3 2 1d4 7 x2 8Ib . Bludgeonin g
Sharrash, Talenta',3 18 gp 1d8 ldlo 19-20/x4 - 10 lb . Slashin g
Sodegarami 1,6 4 gp 1d3 1d4 x2 5 lb . Piercin g
Urgrosh, dwarven 2,5 50 gp ld6 f 1d4 1d8/ld6 x3 12 lb . Piercing or slashin g
Warpike, dwarven 1,2,3 45 gp ld8 2d6 x3 - 15 lb . Piercing or Slashing

I This weapon has reach; you con use it to strike foes lb feet away, but not adjacent foes.
2 This weapon deals double damage when readied against a charge.
3 You con use this weapon to make trip attacks. ifyou are tripped during the attempt,you may drop the weapon to avoid being
tripped in return .
4 This weapon grants a +2 bonus on disarm attacks .
5 Double weapon .
6 See the description of this weapon for special rules .
7 This weapon deals nonlethal damage .
second adjacent opponent in the sam e
round you attacked the first opponent .
Fauehard : A simple pole arm with
a curved, slashing blade, not unlike a
gently curved sickle . A fauchard has
reach . YOU can strike opponents 10
feet away with it, but you can't use i t
against an adjacent foe .
Glaivc:The glaive is little more than
a single-edged blade at the end of a lon g
pole. A glawc has reach . You can slri k e
opponents 10 feet away vdth it, but yo u
can't use it against an adjacent foe .
Goad : A goad is a long, thin wooden
pole mounted with a heavy stone o r
metal weight and a large spike at on e
end. Primarily intended as a tool to
direct the movement of large animals,
a goad makes a solid weapon in a
pinch . When you attack with a goad ,
you must decide ifyou are attackin g
with the spike to deal piercing dam -
age or the weight to deal bludgeonin g
damage . The flexibility of the goad ' s
shaft absorbs much of the force behin d
blows made with the bludgeonin g
head, and all bludgeoning damage
dealt by a goad is nonlethal as a result.
Piercing damage remains lethal.
if you are proficient with its use, th e
goad grants a +2 circumstance bonus
on all. Handle Animal chocks mad e
against animals of size Huge or large r
(such as elephants) .
Greatspear : This heavy spear ha s
a broad flat blade . A greatspear ha s
reach . You can strike opponents 1 0
feet away with it, but you can't use i t
against an adjacent foe .
Guisarme : 'Hie. guisarme is a curvin g
blade that bends back far enough t o
form a hook . A guisarme has reach . Yo u
can strike opponents 10 feet away with
it, but you can't use it against an adja-
cent foe . You can also use it to make
trip attacks . If you arc tripped durin g
your own trip attempt, you can dro p
the guisarme to avoid being tripped .
Halberd: The halberd consists of a
curving axe head combined with a long
spear tip mounted onto an 8-toot-long
pole . If you use a ready action to set a
halberd against a charge, you deal dou-
ble damage on a successful hit against
a charging character.
You can use the hook on the back
of a halberd to make trip attacks . i f
you are tripped during your own tri p
attempt, you can drop the halberd to
avoid being tripped .
Loclraber Axe : An axe-heade d
weapon with a hook for tripping, th e
lochaber axe is essentially a larger hal-
berd lacking the top-spike. A lochaber
axe has reach . You can strike oppo-
rients 10 feet away With it, but you can 't
use it against an adjacent fire .
You can also use a lochaber axe t o
make trip attacks . If you are trippe d
during your own trip attempt, you
can drop the lochaber axe to avoi d
being tripped .
Ioongspear : At its simplest, a long-
spear is little more than a sharp pointe d
blade mounted on the end ofa 10 -
foot-long pole . A longspear has reach.
You can strike opponents 10 feet awa y
with it, but you can 't use it against an
adjacent foe . If you use a ready act ion
to set a longspear against a charge, yo u
deal double damage on a successful . hit
against a charging character.
Longstaff Longer than a quarterstaf 1,,
a longstaffis much more difficult to
use, but skilled wielders are better abl e
to protect themselves from multipl e
attackers when fighting cautiously.
If you are proficient with the longstaf f
and you fight defensively or employ the
total defense combat rnaneuser, yo u
cannot be flanked for the rest of th e
round. This benefit also applies ifyo u
are proficient in the weapon, have th e
Combat Expertise feat, and shift at leas t
2 points of your attack bonus to Armor
Class fin- the round .
The iongstaff' is a double weapo n
and a special monk weapon just . lik e
the quarterstaf(see that description
for details) .
Characters proficient with the long -
staff can treat it as a quartcrstafffor the
purposes of the following feats : Greater
Weapon Focus, Greater Weapon Spe-
cialization, Improved Critical, Weapon
Focus, and Weapon Specialization .
Lucerne Hammer : The lucern e
hammer is similar to the halberd ,
but with a longer spike and a smalle r
three-pronged harnrnerhearl instead
of an axe blade. A lucerne hammer ha s
reach . You can strike OppOnePfS 1 0
feet: away with but you can't use it:
against an adjacent . foe .
Naginata : Similar to a Luc-hard i n
design, the naginata is a heavy curve d
blade on the cud oft] long pole . .A
naginata has reach . You can strik e
opponents 10 feet away with it, bu t
you can ' t use it against an adjacent foe .
Partisan : The partisan consists of a
central spike with two slashing axclik c
spikes protruding from the sides o f
the main blade . A partisan has reach .
You can strike opponents 10 feet away
with it, but you can ' t. use it. against an
adjacent foe . A partisan is Sornetirrie s
called a "bohemian car-spoon ."
Pilum: A thin spear, over a that of
its length is metal . A pilum can be
used to attack an enemy 's shield (an d
only a shield) as a sunder attempt .
This attempt can be made at range . I f
attempted in melee combat, this draw s
an attack of opportunity unless yo u
have the Improved Sunder feat . If the
pilum. deals more damage than th e
shield's hardness, the spear is stuc k
in the shicld .'This deals only 1 point
of damage to the shield regardless o f
how much damage was actually don e
over the hardness. Removing a pilum-
takes 2d4 rounds. While the pilum i s
attached to a shield, the target must
drop the shield or suffer a-2 circum-
stance penalty to Armor Class and o n
attack rolls and Reflex saves due to th e
added weight and awkwardness . Obvi-
ously, you lose use of-the pilum while i t
is attached in this way,
Poleaxe, Heavy : This weapon has a
massive axe blade set onto a long pole .
A heavy poleaxe has reach . You can
strike opponents 10 feel away with it ,
but you can' t use it against an adjacen t
foe . If- you use a ready action to set a
heavy poleaxe against a charge, yo u
deal double damage on a successfu l
hit against a charging character .
Quartcrstaf The favored weapo n
of many common fink, the quarter-
st .alT'is a simple C:-foot-long pole. A
quarterstaff is a double weapon, Yo u
can fight with it as if fighting vv>ith tw o
weapons, but if you do, you incur al l
the normal attack penalties associate d
with fighling with two weapons . just
as if yon were using a one-hande d
weapon and a light. weapon . A creature
wielding a quartcrstafl in one han d
can't use it as a double weapon-only
one end of the weapon can be used i n
any given round .
The quarterstaff is a special ntort k
weapon . This designation gives a mon k
wielding a quarterstal£spccial options .
Ranseur: A ranseur consists of a
central spike flanked by two smalle r
prongs and backward-facing hooks . A
rat-neut. has reach . You can strike oppo-
nents 10 feet away with it, but you can' t
use it against an adjacent foe . With a
ranseur, you get a +Z bonus on oppose d
attack rolls made to disarm an oppo-
nent (including the roll to avoid bein g
disarmed if such an attempt . fails) .
Ritiik: A ritiik is a spearlike weapo n
with an additional hooked blade pro-
truding from the base of-the. spear
head . When you successfully hit a
target with a ritiik, you can twist th e
weapon and hook this blade into th e
target 's flesh if the target fails a Refle x
saving throw (DC 1C + the damag e
dealt) . Ifyou hook the target, yo u
can immediately make a trip attac k
against : the target . If you fail, you ca n
let go of 1he ritiik to avoid the retalia-
tory trip attack .
The damaged creature can pull th e
ritiik from its wound if it has two free
hands and takes a full-round
action to do so, but it deals damage i n
itself equal to the initial damage th e
ritiik dealt . A character who succeed s
on a DC IS Heal check can remove a
ritiik without further damage .
sasumata : A dull crescent-moo n
blade placed atop a long pole, th e
sasumata is a pole arm designed t o
capture opponents with a minimu m
of harm . A wielder who hits a Small
or Medium opponent with a sasumat a
can immediately initiate a grapple a s
a free action without provoking a n
attack of opportunity. (See Grapple i n
Chapter 8 of the Player 's Handbook for
more information .) In addition to th e
normal options available to a grap-
pler, the wielder of the sasumata ca n
at tempt to pull his target to the ground
(tire equivalent of a trip attack, t houg h
Tlo attack roll is necessary).
A sasumata has reach. You can
strike opponents 10 feet awa y
with it, but you can't use it against
an adjacent the. A sasumata is also
known as a grasping pole in the
Book of Exalted Deeds.
Sharrash,Talenta: Developed by the
halflings ofF[arukon's Talenta Plains ,
this weapon consists of a long cane d
blade mounted at the end of a long pole .
ATalenta sharrash has reach . You can
strike opponents 10 feet away will] it, bu t
you can't use it against an adjacent foe .
Due to its curved blade, you can us e
a'l alenta sharrash to make trip attacks.
If you are tripped during your ow n
trip attempt, you can drop the Talenta
sharrash to avoid being tripped.
Sodegarami : The sodegarami, n r
sleeve-tangier, is a highly specialized
weapon used to catch and entangle art
opponent without causing great harm .
It is normally used to hook and catch
the clothing alma opponent . When yo u
use a sodegarami in this way, you mak e
a grapple attack without provoldng an
attack of opportunity. You make a melee
touch attack with the weapon to "grab "
the targe t 's cloth i ng. This attack does no t
work against a character in heavy armor ,
or against most rnonslers that do no t
wear clothing. If the touch attack is suc-
cess-Rd, you make an opposed grappl e
check w'i th a +4 bonus on the check (you
gain no bonus Hr your size bul : still snf-
fer any penalties you might have) . If you
win the. opposed check, you have a hol d
on the target but do not deal any dam -
age . If you lose, you fail to start a grapple .
lb maintain the grapple, you do no t
need to move into your opponent 's
space . 'I he sodegarami holds you r
opponent 10 feet away from you . While
you maintain the grapple, you do not
have the option to damage or pin you r
opponent. Your opponent can try to
escape or wriggle flee, attack with a
light weapon, or cast a spell with n o
somatic components and a casting tim e
of 1 standard action .
A sodegarami ran also he used a s
a normal weapon, dealing damage a s
shown on the Complete Pole Arm Chart .
A sodegarcuni has reach. You can strike
opponents 10 feet away with it, but you
can 't use it against an adjacent. He . Th e
sodegarami is identical to the entanglin g
pole found in the Book (f Exalted Deeds.
Spear : Shorter than a longs pear, the
spear's design is essentially the same . A
spear can he thrown . If you use a ready
.f res :~o.ri i : pole. arms made specifically by non-humanoi d
a 3''rr'svit
i at'r h clr aatt to-: llawni1 ; . urces ' for more information
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1Il,de df~ Prmenstaff
action to set a spear against a charge ,
you deal double damage on a success-
ful hit against a charging character .
Spetum : A spetum is similar to a
ranseur but on a shorter pole . With a
spetum, you get a +2 bonus on oppose d
attack rolls made. to disarm an opponent
(including the roll to avoid being dis-
armed if such In attempt fails) .
Urgosh, Dwarven: Also known as th e
spear-axe, this weapon is made up o f
a spear tip and an axe head mounte d
on opposite ends of a sturdy pole . You
can fight with it as if fighting wit h
two weapons, but if you do, you incu r
all the normal attack penalties associ-
ated with fighting with two weapons,
just as if you were using a one-handed
,41-6 :~
salamander ldngspear .
weapon and a light weapon . Th e
urgros h' s axe head is a slashing weapo n
that deals 1d8 points of damage . It s
spear head is a piercing weapon that
deals 1dG points of damage. You can
use either head as the primary weapon .
The other is the off=hand weapon . A
creature wielding a dwarven urgros h
in one hand can 't use it. as a doubl e
weapon-only one end of the weapo n
can be used in any given round .
I f you use a ready action to set a n
urgrosh against a charge . you dea l
double damage ifyou score a hit against
a charging character. 1f you use a n
urgrosh against a charging character, the
spear head is the part of the weapon that
ARl MARMEEL, JASON .BULMAHN, A1'40 THE PFRAGONSTAFF .
deals damage . Dwarves treat dwarve n
urgroshcs as martial weapons .
Voulge: The voulge is simply a long
cleaver blade mounted on the end ofa
long pole . A voulge has reach . You can
strike opponents 10 feet away with it, bu t
you can' t use it against an adjacent fire .
Warpikc,Dwarven: The dwarve n
warpike resembles a halberd with a
greatly elongated shaft, and a coun-
terweight at the other end. A dwarve n
warpikc has reach . You can strike oppo -
nents ].0 fret away with it, but you ca n 't
use it against an adjacent foe.
If you use a ready action to set a
dwarven warpike against : a charge, yo u
deal double damage on a successful hit
against a charging character .
You can use the hook on the hack o f
a dwarven w repike to make trip attacks .
If - you are tripped during your own
trip attempt, you can drop the dwarven
warpike to avoid being tripped .
For the purpose of- these feats, a pol e
arm is any weapon listed on 1 he Com-
plete Pole Arm Chart . Fighters ma y
take any of- these feats as bonus feats.
Braced for Charge [General ]
When receiving a charge, you know
how to strike where it truly hurts .
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +1 .
Benefit : You can ready an actio n
to set any pole arm against a charge .
This attack deals double damage o n
a successful hit against a chargin g
character . This feat grants no bonu s
to weapons that already grant doubl e
damage when set against a charge .
Normal: Only specific weapons d o
double damage when readied agalnsl.
a charge.
Haft Strike [General ]
You have learned to fight . with bot h
ends ofa pole arm .
Prerequisite : Two-Weapon Fighting .
Benefit : When wielding a pole arm
two-handed you may choose to attac k
with the haft ofthe weapon . You may
only perform this attack as part of a
full-attack action . This additional attack
is at your highest attack bonus and
deals damage like a club of the same
size as the pole arm. Although the haf t
does not possess any of the bonuse s
associated with the weapon (such a s
flamir ,gg), it does count as magic fo r
the purposes of overcoming damage
reduction lithe weapon is enchanted.
When using this feat, each attack you
make in that round (the extra one an d
the normal ones) suffers a-2 penalty .
You only receive half your Strengt h
bonus on damage rolls with thi s
attack . This feat cannot be used with a
double weapon.
Normal: 'Flit haft ofa non-doubl e
weapon is considered an improvise d
weapon and cannot be used as part o f
a full-attack action.
Long Strike [General ]
You have practiced grasping a pole
arm farther down the haft than nor-
mal, granting you extended reach .
Prerequisite : Base attack bonus +2 .
Benefit : As a f mill-attack action, yo u
can make one attack with a pole arm
as ifit had reach, allowing you t o
strike an opponent 10 feet away . If - th e
pole arm already grants reach, treat it s
reach as if it extended 5 feet further .
Normal : Only reach weapons allo w
you to attack f :es more than 5 feet away.
Pole Balance [General]
You can . misc. your pole arm to brac e
yourself against impact and prevent
you from. falling.
Benefit: When wielding a pol e
arm two-handed you gain a +4 cir-
cumstance bonus to resist being bul l
rushed or tripped, and on any Balanc e
checks to avoid losing your tooting.
You may not use this feat if you ar e
flat-I toted or if you are in a precari-
ous position (such as on a tightrope o r
while climbing) that does not provide
you a solid surface against which t o
prop the weapon .
Pole Fighter [General]
Your monastic training include d
extensive work with pole arms an d
other similar weapons .
Prerequisite: Proficiency with th e
selected weapon, Weapon Focus with
the selected weapon, flurry of blows
class feature .
Benefit: Chose a pole arm from th e
Complete Pole Arm Chart . You ca n
treat that weapon as a special mon k
weapon, allowing you to perform a
flurry of blows with it .
Shorten Grip [General ]
You know how to alter your grip
on a reach weapon to use it agains t
nearby opponents .
Benefit: When wielding a pole arm
with reach that you are proficien t
with . you may treat the weapon as i f
it did not have reach . The weapon i s
unwieldy when used in this fashio n
and you suffer a -2 penalty on attac k
rolls when attacking an opponent yo u
normally could not . You cannot us e
this feat with the awd pike.
Normal: Reach weapons cannot b e
used against adjacent foes .
Spinning Defense [General ]
You can spin a pole arm around you ,
deflecting attacks .
Prerequisite: Combat Expertise,
Deflect Arrows.
Benefit : While wielding a pole ar m
during a total defense action, yo u
receive a +1 dodge bonus to your AC
(that stacks with the bonuses fro m
total defense) and you can use th e
Deflect Arrows feat any number o f
times until your next turn (you do no t
need an open hand to deflect range d
weapons while using this feat) . Whil e
using this feat, you cannot catch an y
of-the weapons through the Snatch
Arrows feat .
Normal : You can only use the
Deflect Arrows feat once per round .
Vault [General ]
While wielding a pole arm you can
jump great distances .
Prerequisite: Str 13+, Jump 4 ranks .
Benefit: When wielding a pole ar m
two-handed, the DC fin a long jum p
is reduced by-5 . Tn addition, the D C
for a high jump is equal to three time s
the distance to be cleared . If you jum p
up to grab something, you must dro p
the pole arm to grab the target .
Normal : The DC flay a high jum p
is equal to four times the distance t o
be cleared . Z
 and mythology brim with tales of - vulnerable to the substance .

f charms, philters, amulets, and ritu-

o1orc
als to help ward off the influ-
ence ofthe supernatural .
Creatures are vulnerable to
any substance that repulse s
them or bypasses their dam -
Garlic, holy symbols, an d age reduction. If multiple
mirrors help against vam- substances can overcom e
pires and wolfsbanc pro- a creature's damag e
tects against werewolve s reduction, that crea-
and their ilk. Thes e ture is vulnerable t o
items warded peopl e charms of any material
against the fear of th e that overcomes its dam-
unknown and protude d age reduction-unless both
a measure of security in a dangerous are required to overcome it s
and mysterious world . As these talc s damage reduction (instead o f
spread, more :and more items were one or the other) . For example, a
added to the list ofclhtrrns agains t bearded devil has damage reductio n
the supernatural . 5/silver or good, making it vulnerable to either silver o r
In .D D these horrors pose an all-too-real threat Lc) bot h good . A more powerful creature like a horned devil, whic h
hearty adventurers and lowly peasants alike . With such mon- has damage reduction rofgood and silver, is only vulner-
sters lurking about the power to combat evil becomes eve n able to a charm that is both good and silver .
more necessary, especially for those who cannot afford magic.
Thus, people turn to alchemical and natural charms for aid . TYPES OF ITEM S
From major cities to tiny, isolated villages, the common folk us e These items are divided into two groups : charms and
these items to ward against everything from diseases to devils . draughts . Small amulets used by common talk to driv e
off certain creatures, charms are used to perfiarrri a touch
RULES FOR VULNERABILITIES attack against vulnerable creatures, causing theme Lo bur n
Alchemical charms are nomnagical items that protect thei r and blister in response to the contact . They are not consid-
wearer from certain creatures and creature types . Charm s ered magical itc .nas, however, and thus do not take up a n
protect the bearer by using a substance that harms or sup - item. slot . Charms must be drawn like any other weapo n
presses a creature 's power . 'these creatures are considered and boil away into nothingness when successfully used .
 Alchemical potions, known a s
This article presents a straightforward vulnerability system which requires littl e droughts, fortify the imbiber against
integration to use with existing monsters . If a monster has the appropriat e a creature vulnerable to the draught's
damage reduction, then it is vulnerable . DMs wishing to add more flavor to specific ingredients. Alchemists use a
their world can assign these vulnerabilities to creatures without damage reduc- secret process to combine rare metal s
tion . For example, cold iron traditionally harms fey, but the weaker varieties lac k or liquids with herbs, oils, and other
damage reduction . Feel free to assign the cold iron vulnerability to all fey, o r ingredients to create a potent concoc-
assign one of the existing vulnerabilities to some other creatures. This articl e tion . Once imbibed, the draught lasts
only uses substances and properties that already exist in the D8rD rules; how- for i hour and provides the user a +2
ever, DMs are encouraged to add other vulnerabilities. Simple things like fire , alchemical bonus on saves versus the
salt, or other exotic components-like the hair of a chimera-can all serve t o spells and abilities of creatures vulner-
add a unique flair to the campaign world when used as the basis for charms . able to it . A person can only be unde r
the effect of one draught at a time .
'These items are listed below, sorte d
by material .
Ite m Cost Weigh Anarchic Charm: The anarchic charm
Anti-disease tonic 100 • . - coriunonlylooks like a swirling mass o f
Charm, axiomatic anarchic 30 g p 1 lb . ribbons tied to a colorful leather cord.
Charm, cold iro n 30 • . 1 lb . An anarchic charm can be used to per-
Charm, combination 40 g p 1 lb . form a touch attack against a creatur e
Charm, • arlic 5• . 1. lb . vulnerable to chaos . This touch deal s
Charm, holy/unhol y 30 gp 1 lb . r d6 points of damage to the creatur e
Charm, silver 30 : I lb . and destroys the amulet . In addition ,
Draught, axiomatic/anarchi c 50 g p - the large! must succeed at a DC 14 Wil ]
Drau :ht, cold iron 75 • . save or he shaken for id4 rounds .
Draught, combinatio n 150 gp Anti-disease Tonic: Legends plac e
Drau :ht, :arlic 50 the tongue of an otyugh on the ingre-
Draught, holy/ unholy 50 g p - dients list of this alchemmical elixir ,
Drau :ht, silve r 75 • . - which fortifies the body to withstan d
olfsbane 5 •. -- disease . Tt provides a +5 alchemical
bonus on the imbiber 's saves agains t
disease for one day .
Axiomatic Charm : he opposite of
anarchic charms, axiomatic charms ar e
usually geometric shapes secured to a
fine steel chain. An axiomatic charm can
be used to perform a touch al tack against
a creature vulnerable lo law . This touch
deals id6 points of damage to the crea-
ture and destroys the amulet . In addi-
tion, the target must succeed at a DC 1 4
Will save oche shaken for id4 rounds .
Cold Iron Charm : Cold iron lend s
itself well to charms and draughts use d
against fey or demons . Often shape d
like a horseshoe, a cold iron char m
can be used to perform a touch attack
against a creature vulnerable to cold
iron . This touch deals id6 point s
of damage to the creature and
destroys the amulet . In addition ,
the target must succeed at a DC 14 Wil l
save or be shaken for u l4 rounds .
Cold Iron Draught: This elixir com-
bines small amounts of cold iron with
 rare herbs and oils . It has a bluish ting e
to it and an. impl.easant metallic after-
taste. A cold iron draught provides th e
imbiber a+2 alchemical bonus on save s
made against : the spells and . abilities o f
ereaLures vulnerable to cold iron . This
effect lasts for i hour.
Combination Charm: Charms like
silver holy symbols combine the prop-
erties of an alchemical metal (silver o r
cold iron) with the power of an aligne d
charm (anarchic, axiomatic, holy, or
unholy). A combination charm can b e
used to perform a touch attack against .
a creature vulnerable to either one o r
both o(t.he charm's properties . Thi s
touch c.icals id6 points of damage t o
the creature and destroys the amulet .
In addition, the target must succeed a t
a DC 14 Will save or be shaken for Id 4
rounds . The wealthy turn these sym-
bols into elaborate affairs encrusted
with jewels and inlaid with gilt runes.
Combination Draught : A poten t
blend of two draughts . the combina-
tion draught provides the best ofboth
worlds, protecting the imbiber against
creatures vulnerable to bot h
an alchemical metal (sil -
ver or cold iron) and the
power of as alignmen t
(anarchic, axiomatic ; holy,
or unholy) . A combina-
tion draught provide s
the imbiber a+z alrhem -
iCa[ bonus on saves Mad e
against t .h.e spells an d
abilities of creatures vul -
nerable to either or both o f
its components . This effect
lasts for i hour.
Garlic Charm : Me simplest o f
charms, this item. is usually nothin g
more than abraided strand of garlic
bulbs brushed with holy water. It serve s cccd at a DC 14 Will save or be shaken
as a potent defense against vampires for id4 rounds .
and other creatures repulsed. by the Garlic Draught: A flavorful bre w
herb, making it quite common in areas of garlic and holy water, the garli c
beset by these undead . A garlic charm draught provides the repelling power
can he used to perform a touch attack of garlic in liquid form . Although
against a creature repulsed by garlic . hardly a boon in social situations, i t
This touch deals rdO points of damag e proves iiseliinvaluable when com-
to the creature and destroys the amu- bating vampires . A garlic draught
let . In addition, the target must sue- provides the imbiber a +a alchemical

and abilities of creatures repulsed b y
garlic. This effect lasts for hour.
Holy Charm: The standard wooden
holy symbol of-the sort worn my cleric s
and paladins is also cflect :ive agains t
evil creatures such as demons an d
undead when properly consecrated b y
one of faith . In addition to serving as a
divine focus, a holy charm can be use d
to perform a touch attack against a
creature vulnerable to good. 'Ibis touc h
deals id6 points of damage to the crea-
ture and destroys the symbol. In addi-
tion, the target must succeed at a DC 1.4
Will save or be shaken fin' 1d4 rounds .
Holy Draught : A mixture of rare herbs
and specially prepared holy water, th e
holy draught serves as a staple far thos e
who battle the undead . It tastes sweet,
almost cloyingly so. .A holy draught pro -
vides the imbiber a +2 alchemical bonu s
oil saves made against the spells and
abilities of creatures vulnerable to good .
This effect lasts fora hour.
Silver Charm: Alchemists use silve r
in charms and draughts as protectio n
against devils and the like . A silve r
charm can he used to perform a touc h
attack against a creature vulnerable t o
silver . This touch deals id() points o f
damage to the creature and destroy s
the amulet. In addition, the targe t
must succeed at a DC 14 Will save o r
be shaken for rd4 rounds.
Silver Draught: This swirling mix of
silver and rare minerals offers the pro-
tection of a silver eharm in a draught .
Frequently imbibed by lycanthrop c
hunters, it also protects against weaker
devils . A silver draught provides th e
user a +z alchemical bonus on save s
made against the spells and abilitie s
of creatures vulnerable to silver. It als o
applies to saves against contractin g
lyc :mthropy .'I'his effect lasts for i hour.
Unholy Charm : Unholy charm s
hhmction exactly like holy charms bu t
in reverse, allowing a touch attac k
against creatures vulnerable to evil .
This touch deals ad6 points of damag e
to the creature and destroys the amu-
let. In addition, the target must suc-
ceed at a DC nq Will save or be shake n
fora d4 rournds . Unholy charms are
. ..
':'..Itetirr l``:.`
Garlic charm
Anarchic charm*, axiomatic charm*, col d
iron charm, garlic draught, holy charm*,
silver charm, or urholycharm* : : ::': :
Anarchic draught, anti-disease tonic ,
axiomatic draught*, cold iron draught ,
combination charm", holy draught*, silve r
draught, or unholy draught*
Combination draught* . :.
*In addition, ingredients fat these items must be blessed by a divine spellcaste r
of the appropriate alignment to function . This involves a simple prayer, not a n
actual sell .
Otis fashioned as unholy symbols ,
or sometimes merely as a disturbin g
image, such as a demonic skull .
Unholy Drought: Unholy draughts
function exactly like holy droughts
but in reverse, granting a i z alchemi-
cal. bonus on saves made against th e
spells and abilities of creatures vul-
nerable to evil fir a hour .
Wolfs-bane : Also cal led belladonna ,
this toxic plant allegedly repels lycan-
thropes . In addition to its standar d
effect in curing an afflicted lycan-
thrope (see lycanthropc in the Monste r
Manual), wolfs bane can also repe l
a lycanthrope if used as a weapon .
Striking a lycanthrope with the plan t
requires a reasonably fresh spri g
(picked within the last week), and a
successful touch attack . Mc creature
must then snake a DC 12 Will save o r
flee for rd4 rounds, as if affected b y
the spell cause fear . A successful use o f
the plant destroys it .
CRAFTING
ALCHEMICAL ITEM S
Creating charms uses the standar d
Craft rules presented on page 70 of th e
Player's Handbook. 'flhe DC for creating
the items presented in this article are
provided on the included table. Like
any alchemical creation, charms requir e
:alchemical equipment and a spellcaster
lo craft.. Wol.hbane does not require an y
alchemical treat.rneril.s, but the plant
must be reasonably fresh to functio n
(picked within the last week). A DC 1 .5
Knowledge (nature) or Survival check is
required to find and harvest wolfshan e
in the wilderness correctly.
Craft Skill .: . . . Craft DC
Alchem 15
Alchemy 2Q
Alchemy 25
Alchemy 28
ECOLOGY AN D
SOCIET Y
in a society where alchemical charm s
exist, people rely on charm sellers t o
protect . them against both . real and
supposed dangers . Almosl every vil-
lage and hamlet possesses a simpl e
wise-woman or knowledgeable her-
mnil, an elder versed in the use o f
charms and amulets. A DC an Knowl-
edge (arcana), Knowledge (religion) ,
or bardic knowledge check reveal s
the properties of-the common, non -
magical charms . The typical villag e
alchemist has ranks in one or more o f
these skills, and perhaps some Craf t
(alchemy) ranks to create the items ,
although that role might rest with a
separate, regional alchemist .
Nearly every charm peddler in any
fantasy city sells conunon charms . I n
addition, temples commonly sell hol y
symbols as a means to protect peopl e
from evil. More obscure charms an d
magic versions ofcorm-non . charm s
usually remain out of reach for all bu t
the rich and powerthl-While sages an d
nobles publicly scoff at the public use o f
charms, quite a few privately acknowl-
edge some value to this practice .
let the style of your campaign
determine how practitioners of divin e
magic see these items . In sonic worlds ,
clerics view these items as beneficial ,
driving away evil and other danger-
ous creatures . However, these item s
in fringe on religions' traditional rol e
of protecting the people, and as such
sonic religions might view charms a s
a form of competition . 0
 hether your campaign features th e
W lightning rails ofEtsz:xxoN ' s Hous e
Orien . the war sloops Of GREY 13A INK ' S
Scarlet Brotherhood, or simply-the ubiquitous carriag e
and wagon common to nearly every fantasy setting, th e
potential for high-velocity excitement is always presen t
in DUNGEONS DRxGONS. Detailed here are eleven won-
drous conveyances, each of them tricked out, suped up, an d
ready to drive into your campaign . The Arms and Equipmen t
Guide lists detailed rules for fighting on a moving vehicle ,
driving through hazards, and repairing vehicles, but if yo u
do not have access to that text, fear not : the standard corn -
bat rules arc more than sufficient for staging action-packe d
chase sequences .
WONDROUS CONVEYANCE S
Adamantine Carriage : Built to transport dignitaries throug h
potentially hostile urban streets, these carriages :ire reinforce d
with adamantine, giving the carriage 40 hp and hardness 2o .
The carriage is drawn by two heavy horses and travels at a
speed of30 feet when fully loaded, 40 feet when empty.
Price 15, too gp .
Some adamantine carriages are made to protect thei r
passengers from divination spells as per the nondetectio n
spell (DC 16 to break through.) .
Faint abjuration ; CI .5th ; Craft Wondrous Item, nondetee-
lion ; Price 45,5c0 .
Beholder Globe : A deranged gnome necromancer cre-
aked the first beholder rllohr from a hollowed out and pre -
served eye tyrant corpse. One Medium creature or tw o
Small creatures can fit inside one of these preserved husks .
The central eye is replaced by hardened glass so that th e
pilot can see . Outside viewers looking at the bizarre glob e
can likewise see through the central eye window to th e
:pilot operating the orb inside . By squeezing and. twistin g
the bulbs of the various eyestalk roots, the pilot can fire
an eye ray
as a standar d
action and fly the globe at a
speed of', feet (good) as a move action . The eye rays have
a range of 60 feet and a save DC of 15 . The rays are identi-
cal to a live beholder 's rays, although only the fbllowin .g
rays still function in a beholder globe : inflict moderate wounds,
sleep, slow, and telekinesis . Alclienrically treated and innatel y
sturdy, a beholde r ,globe retains much of its natural armor. lt:
possesses AC ao, 65 lip, and a hardness of io ..The globe i s
not. watertight or airtight, although those inside do benefi t
from improved cover (page 152 of the Playe r 's .Handb,pok).
Moderate rtecrnrnaucV anal enchantrn.ent ; CL aitli ; Craft
Wondrous item, inflict moderate wounds, sleep, slow, telekinesis ,
gentle repose ; Price r2o,noo gar.
Chariot of Susrarre: Nunn :ally this item is nothing mor e
than a weathered sandstone trinket carved to resemble a
chariot, but when activated, it explodes with a clap of thunder,
summoning a flying chariot made of pure flame and a pai r
of fiery horses. ilic. sunrrnone .r and up to five. other Mediu m
creatures ofbis choice may board the chariot and arc immune
 to fire damage fi)r as long as the y
remain aboard . hi addition, all weapon s
gain the flaming burst special ability s o
long as their wielders are on board .
All other creatures within 1o feet of
the chariot suffer 1d6 points of fir e
damage per round. 'Mc chariot ha s
a fly speed of roe feet (perfect)
and an overland speed of 42
miles per hour. After 12 hours ,
the chariot o, f Sustalre reverts t o
its trinket form and cannot
be activated again for
one week, if the
summoner
wishes, h e
may end the
chariot's duratio n
early and detonate th e
vehicle as a delayed blastfireball (dealing
13d6 fire damage with a DC 2c Reflex
save to halve this damage) . This cause s
the chariot to revert back to trinke t
form as if its full 12-hour duration ha d
expired . The chariot is otherwise identi-
cal to a standard double chariot, excep t
that it can carry six people comfortabl y
and both chariot and horses, bein g
made of pure flame, are immune to
weapon damage.
Strong conjuration and evocation; CL
13th; Craft Wondrous Item, delayed blast
, fireball, protectionfrom energy, wind walk;
Price 8c.ooo gp.
Dragonfly Longship: Four gos-
samer wings spread from the sides o f
this elegant longship. The aft trails a
6o-foot-long iridescent blue tail that
terminates in a black bulb . Kings covet
these Fist, and agile ships for their abil-
ity to scout and patrol borders . A drag-
onfly kingship has a fly speed of 6o fee t
(average) and an overland speed of3 o
miles per hour. The tail bulb constantly
secretes acidic goo, and once every 1d 4
rounds the tail can convulse and fling a
ball of acid. Only the Vessel's captain or
his designated gunner may direct the
tail to attack, and doing so is a standard
action . The goo sphere has a range o f
200 feet and explodes into a1o-Ibot-
radius burst, dealing 8d6 points of aci d
damage. A successful DC 15 Reflex save
halves this damage . A creature that
fails its save suffers id6 points of acid
damage on each of the following 3
rounds unless it uses a standard action
to rinse off the acid .
Strong transmutation and evoca-
tion ; CL 17th; Craft Wondrous Item ,
fly, limited wish, Me f's acid arrow; Pric e
175,000 gp.
Dune Yacht: A caliph who possesses
a dune yacht has no need for a deser t
stronghold, as his vessel serves as a
formidable mobile base of operations .
Rigged with sails emblazoned with
flames and bright sun motifs, this gal -
ley sails over sand instead of water .
If removed from sand it is unabl e
to move under its own power, just
as if- a sea-going vessel ran aground .
Dune yachts are stronger than averag e
waterborne galleys, possessing 12o
hp and hardness 8 per 1o-foot sec-
tion of hull . The yacht itself has tire
resistance 5 and it grants this protec-
tion to all those aboard . Furthermore,
every passenger need consume onl y
halithe normal amount of water while
on board. Finally, an efreeti is boun d
to the helm of every dune yacht . Once
per week, the efrecti can be calle d
forth to serve the captain of the yacht.
The efreeti understands and follow s
the captain's orders for 1 hour before
departing lithe cfreeti is ever forced
to grant a wish, the dune yacht burns t o
the keel and the efreeti is freed from its
bondage after it grants the wish . Not e
that because of the efreet 's hatred of
servitude, it always attempts to twis t
and corrupt the intent of the wish.
Strong transmutation and conjura-
tion; CL 17th ; Craft Wondrous Item ,
limited wish, move earth, planar binding. ,
resist elements; Price 150,000 gp .
Juggernaut Chariot: This chario t
grants a trample attack (see page 31 6
of the Monster Manual) to the crea -
tures pulling it . The damage don e
by the trample equals the crea -
ture's slam attack (usuall y
a hoof for horses) +
I-1/2 tines thei r
Strength modi -
fier. The chario t
is otherwise
identical to th e
double chariot
listed in the Arms and Equipment Guide .
Moderate transmutation; CL 9th;
Craft Wondrous Item, bul l 's Strength ;
Price ro,ooo gp .
Longship of Dread Shade: This float -
ing derelict shows signs of extensive
decay, with rotting floorboards and gap -
ing holes in its hull. Despite its appear-
ance it is seaworthy, and during the day
it performs just as any other longship.
At night, the iongship of dread shade gain s
a fly speed of4o feet and generates 2 0
zombies or skeletons for a crew, 2 wight
lieutenants, and a spectre first male .
All undead are initially under the corn-
rnand ofthe captain, and they have turn
resistance +6 as long as they remai n
aboard . If the undead crew do not slay a t
least one living creature each night., the
captain must succeed at a Diplomac y
check (DC 1 5 plus the number ofnights
since the. last kill) or face a mutiny. Any
remaining undead disappear at sunrise.
A fill] complement ofundead rises eac h
sunset, even if some were destroye d
the preceding night. Assuming th e
captaincy of a longship of'dread shade can
have serious alignment repercussions.
Each night the crew is allowed to kill ,
the captain 's alignment shifts one step
closer to evil.
Strong necromancy; CI . 1.5t11 ; Craft
Wondrous Item, animate dead, create
greater undead, fly; Price 175,000 gp .
Palanquin of Beguilement: A nobl e
can recline on this curtained litter
and be carried through the city b y
four servants . Anyone. relaxing on a
palanquin of beguilement with a full
complement of four bearers gains a + 4
enhancement bonus on Bluff, Diplo-
macy, and Intimidate checks.
Faint enchantment : CT 5tli : Craf t partinleIlL tl]at : acconlniodates two stand -
Wondrous Ttem, e fil e's splendor ; ['rice
4, 8 0 0 gp
Smuggler's Wagon: This rustic
transport cart is the bane of taxme n
and border guards everywhere . Perma-
nent illusions cause the cart ' s carryin g
bed to appear empty even when it con -
Laiiis contr :.ihand, refugees, or any othe r
kind of cargo . Someone who actuall y
climbs into the wagon and interact s
with the.. dwcomercd area gets to make
a DC 1 .8 Wi1l save to pierce the illu-
sion.'Ihc wagon is further enchanted
with NystFal1 's• magic aura so that it doe s
not detect as magical . It is otherwis e
identical to the wagon. presented in th e
Arms and Equipment Guide.
None ; CL 13 th ; Craft. Wondrou s
Item, major image, Nystul'.s magic aura,
veil ; Yrice 32,0oo gp.
Sniper's Carriage : This enclose d
brougham carriage has two arrow slits on
each side and a hollow passenger corn-
ing archers . The archers gain improved
cover against anyone outside the wagon.
furthermore, the carriage is enchanted .
so that its archers ignore the first tw o
range increment : penalties fdr their
weapons. After the second range inere-
ment, range penalties apply normally.
Moderate divination ; CL sth ; Craf t
Wondrous Item, daira.utirnce/clairuoy-
ance; Price ih,oco gp .
Worm Raft :'1'his floating raft is noth-
ing more. than a roiling bed of grubs ,
caterpillars, and worms each the Size
of a grown . man 's arm that magicall y
maintain . the shape of a ao-.fi ot.-by-m-
foot flatbed. raft that can support up
to we) pounds . This disgusting vehicle
travels at a speed of 3o feet per T011nd ,
floating roughly 3 feet above the groun d
at all times and remains level . raft
is directed by spoken command . Like
a carpet offlying, as long as the speaker
is within voice range the raft obeys ,
whether the speaker is standing on th e
rafl or not . In addition to directional
movement, the raft can be commande d
to disperse into swaru.il form once per
day. In swarm fvnn, it cannot carry any-
thing and ceases to act as a vehicle, but
it gains all the properties of a centiped e
swarm (see page 2238 Of the Monste r
Manual). The raft can remain in thi s
form for up to r hour before ret~'arnirng
to raft form . In raft iorni, the vemin i
vehicle has 31 . hp, but gains hardness
10 . If kilted -in either form, the raft is
destroyed . The raft heals .4 hp per day
until it reaches its maximums of 3 i hp.
Strong conjuration, CL 9th ; Craft
Wondrous Item, insect plague; Price
2o,aoo gp . 6~.
. .,,
i

g'
 any players overlook the hidden potential in tool s
such as a la-foot pole, a pair of pitons, or similar
'terns from the adventuring gear portion of the
equipment lists. in a game where +3 .flamirul greatswords and
robes cif the archmagi are treasured goods, it 's sometimes har d
to find a place for the simple, mundane equipment that an
adventurer carries into a dungeon . This article presents ne w
rules and uses for Some of the most overlooked items liste d
in the Player's Ftandhook . While a signal whistle might neve r
match a cloak ofthe hat fi n. power and utility, in the right situa -
tion it might just save your life .
BEDROLL
A basic piece of equipment for most travelers, a bedroll migh t
also serve as a useful distraction against your opponents .
False Bedroll: When camping, filling a bedroll with
leaves, pillows, or blankets might make it appear occu-
pied . IFa monster attacks your camp, it might mistakenl y
pounce upon the bedroll .' This ruse requires you to make
a Disguise check opposed by the Spot checks of the oppo-
nents . Success means that enemies believe the bedroll t o
be occupied . As soon as a creature attacks or disturbs th e
bedroll it realizes that it has been tricked . Creatures with
the scent special quality receive a +4 circumstance bonu s
on Spot checks to sniff ' oul this trick.
Smother Flames : A moistened bedroll can be used to
smother a small campfire as a fiill-round action . It might
also be used to help put out a creature that is on fire . With
a bedroll in hand, you can take a standard action to assis t
an adjacent creature in extinguishing the flames . Assisting
in this way gives the creature a +4 circumstance bonus o n
Reflex saves to extinguish the flames . Any bedroll used i n
Ehis way has a 5o% chance of being destroyed (taking on e
round to soak the bedroll with water from a stream or water -
skin reduces this chance to 25%).
BELL
If you are attacked at night, a bell can serve to wake you r
allies or fiinction as a simple alarm .
Awaken Friends: Using a standard action to ring a bell,
all of your allies can make DC o Listen checks to wake up .
Remember to modify the DC for doors, walls, distance ,
being asleep (a-so penalty), and other factors .
Ringing Trap: You can set a hell to ring when a doo r
opens, a tripwire breaks, or when an opponent otherwis e
sets off some sort of trap or lever . You must make a DC15
Craft (trap-making) check to set thi s
trap . The trap takes 3 minute to set u p
per 5-foot square that contains a trig-
ger. The Listen DC to wake up fro m
this trap being sprung is the same a s
listed above under awaken friends.
Alarm Bell Trap : CR o ; mechanical ;
touch !rigger ; no reset ; DC 20 Reflex
save avoids ; hell rings for one round ;
Search DC i5 ; Disable Device DC 20.
Market Price: i. gp + r sp per 5-tbo t
square containing a trigger.
BLANK I i WINTER
A thick blanket can keep you warm ,
but it might also serve as a useful too l
in other situations.
Conceal Trap: Place a blanket over
a small hole, anchor it in place, cover
it with dirt and debris, and you hav e
a quick and simple trap. Opponent s
must make a Spot check versus you r
Disguise check to notice the hidde n
pit . Creatures that do not notice th e
trap and enter that square must mak e
a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid fallin g
into the pit. Note that a blanket canno t
cover a pit wider than a single 5-foot
square . For each square beyond the
first you try to cover, such as with a
larger blanket or tarp, your Disguis e
check suffers a - penalty. A creatur e
whose size is larger than the pit doe s
not risk falling into it.
Smother Flames : A blanket can b e
used in the same way as a bedroll to
extinguish flames.
BLOCK AND TACKLE
A block and tackle consists of a
length of rope and two or more pul-
leys . They make it easier to lift a
heavy weight, providing that you have
the time to set up the rig . Tn essence ,
you mount a pulley on the object yo u
want to move and run a rope throug h
the pulley. You anchor one end of th e
rope and run the second one throug h
another pulley. You can then pull on
the loose end of the rope to mov e
the object . Each length of rope-th e
anchored end and the one that run s
through the pulley-bears half the
object ' s weight . Thus, the object is
much easier to lift if you tug on the
loose end of the rope, effectivel y
making it so that you only need to lift
half the object 's weight .
Setting up a block and tackle takes i o
minutes and a DC ro Use Rope check. If
you succeed, count only half the object's
weight for the purpose of lifting it . For
an object without a listed weight, yo u
gain a +5 competence bonus on you r
Strength check to move it. A block and
tackle is most often used to open a
rusted portci ill is, lift a large stone lid, or
move a laden treasure check.
BOTTLE, WINE, GLASS
A bottle might not be the best way
to carry water or wine during a n
adventure, as a waterskin is far more
durable, Tlowever, a bottle makes for a
useful (if unconventional) weapon .
Improvised Weapon: You can use a
wine bottle as an improvised weapon
by grasping its long neck and hittin g
your opponent with the thicker end .
You suffer a -4 penalty on your attac k
roll and the bottle deals Ld4 points
of bludgeoning damage . This causes
the bottle to shatter, ruining it as a
weapon and spilling any liquid th e
bottle contains over the target .
Quick Calerops : A broken bottle in a
single 5-foot square can act as a substitute
for caltrops in a pinch . Setting up such
a hazard is a standard action. A broken
bottle works in the same way as normal
caltrops with the following exceptions .
The attack roll made against creature s
in the square is at a - base attack bonus.
The Heal check to treat the wounds fro m
a broken bottle is only DC 10.
CHAIN
A chain might seem too heavy an d
unwieldy to justify carrying one, but i t
can prove useliil when dealing with cap-
tives who are too large for manacles .
Binding Chains: You can loop chain s
around a captive's arms and legs t o
tie him up . You suffer a-2 penalty on
your Use Rope check to bind him, bu t
chains are obviously much more dif-
ficult to burst than rope. Include a lock
and the chain cannot be simply untied .
Improvised Weapon : You can use a
chain as an improvised weapon that
has reach (page 1 1 3 of the Playe r's fland -
book ) . Treat it as a two-handed impro-
vised weapon . Unless the chain was
specifically made far small folk, it deal s
rd6 points of bludgeoning damage .
You suffer a-4 penalty on attack roll s
when wielding a chain in this fashion .
CHALK
Useful for scribing messages, chalk also
helps you navigate mazes and mark
your way through subterranean pas-
sages . You can leave symbols behind on
doors to note the location of traps o r
mark areas that you have already va sited .
Mark the Path: If you leave a mark
in chalk within a dungeon or othe r
location where you can scribe legibl e
symbols, you gain a +2 competence
bonus on all Survival checks to avoi d
becoming lost . This bonus does not
extend to new areas that you hav e
not marked . This trick ails to work
in places that lack a surface suitabl e
for chalking . You must use a stan-
dard action every 5o feet you travel
to maintain your marks . You los e
this benefit if you stop leaving your
marks behind, unless you are in an
area you have already marked .
MIRROR,* SMALL STEE L
Many times, it helps to peek aroun d
a corner without exposing yourself t o
the horrors that lurk around it ,
Peek Around Corners : You can use
a mirror to look around a corner. You
gain full cover, but suffer a -2 penalt y
on all Spot checks to see through
the mirror. Tn addition, double th e
distance to an object when you look
through a mirror for purposes o f
Spot checks . You cannot target spell s
using a mirror in this way.
Signal: A mirror can be used to sig-
nal others at a distance without makin g
noise, 'lb use a mirror in this way you
must succeed at a ranged touch attack .
If your target is still and waiting far th e
signal, he can drop his AC to 5 far thi s
purpose . You must have a bright light
source available fin this trick to work
(most commonly sunlight) . The ligh t
reflected in this manner has a range o f
Soo feet with no maximum number of
range increments (although you mus t
be able to see your target and the ligh t
must be strong enough to reach it) .
qIL
Commonly used in lanterns and occas-
lionally as a weapon, oil has other use s
as well .
Molotov Cocktail: As noted in th e
Players t-Tundhook, oil can be used i n
a manner similar to alchemis t 's fire .
Although it takes longer to se t
up and there is only a 50%
chance of it working
properly, a flask 43.161 costs significantly
less than its more reliable alternative.
Slippery Floor. You can, as a stan-
dard action, pour a flask of oil on th e
ground, creating a slippery surface. Thi s
increases the DC for all Tumble skill
checks through the area by +a. (or up to
as much as +5 if the surface is extremely
smooth). As an added bonus, the oil ca n
later be lit on fire, burning for a rounds ,
and dealing id3 points of
fire damage to each
creature in th e
area. This
effect might not work on some surfaces,
such as veryuneven ones or those tha t
might absorb the oil .
PAPER
Scraps of paper or parchment might
seem useless, but there are plenty o f
times when a simple message coul d
make things easier for you . You r
DM might allow you to take notes o r
sketch diagrams for other PCs onl y
if your character carries paper and a
writing implement .
Coded Notes : You can create a
simple cipher for the party and you r
allies, allowing you to leave notes for
your friends without revealing sensi-
five information . This code could us e
innocent words to mark important
items, or you might use simple pic-
tures to indicate key phrases or plans.
Make a Bluff check to create a code .
The result is the Sense Motive o r
Decipher Script DC needed to crac k
your code . Your allies can read th e
note with a simple DC 5 Intelligence
checkifyou explain the code to them .
Otherwise, they too must make Sens e
Motive or Decipher Script checks .
Rubbings : You can press a piece o f
paper against a set offaint markings ,
such as runes or an ancient inscrip-
tion, and rub a piece of chalk or a
similar writing implement to create a
simple copy of them . With a success-
ful DC r5 Forgery check you can creat e
an exact duplicate of the marks fo r
later translation .
Pr.tON
In addition to
making climbing
easier you can
also use pitons t o
spike doors shut ,
disable a trap, or
as an imprompt u
weapon .
Disable a Trap :
When dealing with
a mechanical trap tha t
relies on a pressure plate or
trap door, using a piton reduce s
your penalty for not having prope r
thieves ' tools to-i . Using a piton with
proper thieves ' tools provides no addi-
tional bonus. Your DM might rule that
a piton provides this bonus to othe r
mechanical traps as well.
improvised Weapon : A piton can
he used as an improvised weapon .
Treat it as a dagger without a range
increment . As an improvised weapon ,
you suffer a -4 penalty on attack roll s
when using a piton in this fashion .
Spike Door: You can hammer a
piton into a door's frame to keep i t
open or shut. A piton hammered int o
the floor in front of a closed door
makes it difficult to open, as the doo r
hits the piton when you try to swin g
it open. To keep a door open, you can
hammer a piton between the ope n
door and its frame . When the door
swings shut, it hits the piton an d
remains propped open . You mus t
make a DC ro Strength check to brac e
a door in this manner as a full-roun d
action . A closed door's break D C
increases by z when you spike it shut ,
while forcing an open door to close
requires a DC ro Strength check .
PoLE, 10-FOOT
Long, unwieldy, and heavy, a ro-too t
pole might seem little more than a
burden. However, this deceptively use-
ful item can help you deal with any-
thing that you w•ani to keep at arm 's
reach . Sometimes, probing ahead wit h
the pole can uncover traps, reveal illu-
sions, or alert you to a danger that yo u
might otherwise bungle into.
Probing Search : You can use th e
pole to examine a dangerous spot
or an area that you could not other-
wise reach. You suffer a -4 penalt y
on your Search check, as the pole i s
an awkward, imprecise tool, but you
can stand up to mo feet away from th e
place you want to Search . This migh t
allow you to avoid a trap' s effects or
reach into holes or pits that are other -
wise inaccessible . Your DM might rul e
that a pole cannot be used in this wa y
on some objects .
RATIONS, TRkIL
Obviously, an adventurer needs fres h
food and water to survive, but a meal
can prove useful beyond providin g
basic sustenance.
Bait Trap: A tasty treat might con-
vince an animal to ignore the trap
you've set . Any creature with an Intelli -
gence of-3 or lower suffers a-2 penalty
on all Search checks, to AC versus the
trap's attack, and on saves made agains t
a trap i f' you bait it with food the crea-
ture finds appetizing.
Bribe Animal : Many wild animals and
magical beasts that you encounter ar e
merely looking for a meal . By offering
a wolf or a bear your rat.inn s, ycru might
be able to sate its hunger and convinc e
it to leave you alone . A druid or ranger
gains a +2 competence bonus on wild
empathy checks if she offers an aniTria l
enough food for a single meal. Your D M
might rule that a sufficiently hungr y
animal must make a DC ro Will sav e
to avoid spending an action eating an y
food you throw to it in battle . A trained
animal or one that you have alread y
injured automatically ignores the food .
ROPE
Almost every adventurer carries a coil
of rope and for a good reason. Not only
is a rope invaluable for many dungeo n
hazards it can also be used as a trap.
Trip Line: If you leave a rop e
across a passage, most of the time an
opponent can step over it. However,
anyone in a rush to move down th e
hall might miss it and trip . When yo u
set up a rope in this manner, make a
Use Rope check . Any opponent wh o
runs or charges past a trip line mus t
make a DC ro Spot check. If this check
fails, the target must make a Strengt h
or Dexterity check (target 's choice )
against your Use Rope check. Target s
receive a +4 bonus per size category
above Medium . if this check also fails ,
the creature falls prone in the rope 's
space and its rnovement ends. Crea-
tures smaller than size Small are usu-
ally immune to this attack, unless yo u
have a thin rope and specifically set i t
up to catch them. In that case, larger
creatures ignore the rope .
You can also set up a rope to tri p
someone as you pull the rope taut.
As your foe charges or runs past the
rope, you yank it so that it rises off'th e
ground and tangles the fo e 's feet. In thi s
case, you must ready an action to pull
the rope as a foe passes . Your foe gets a
DC 15 Spot check to notice the rope and
avoid the trap . If your foe rims into the
trap make a Strength check opposed by
your opponent's Strength or Dexterit y
check (his choice) . Your foe gains a +4
bonus per size category above Medium.
As noted above, creatures size Small
or smaller arc usually immune to thi s
attack unless you specifically choose
a thin line that could entangle them .
Multiple allies can help you with thi s
check if they, too, ready actions to tri p
your foe. Each ally assisting in this way
must make a DC i in Strength check.
For each ally that succeeds, you get a +2
bonus on your Strength check.
SIGNAL WHISTLE
A whistle is an easy way to draw you r
friends ' attention. You can use whis-
tles in a manner similar to a bell t o
alert sleeping friends .
Whistling in the Dark : You can buy
several whistles, each with a differen t
tone, so that each member of the part y
has a distinct signal . l[ you are lost ha
the dark or a thick f irg, you can use th e
whistles to keep track of each other.
While this tactic also reveals yourposi-
tion to your enemies, it might be a bet -
ter option than splitting up the party .
A successful DC o Listen check allow s
you to determine a whistler's relativ e
direction and distance . Remember t o
modify the DC for doors, walls, dis-
tance, being asleep, and other [actors .
SPVGLAS S
While expensive, a spyglass can prove
useful in wilderness or nautica l
adventures . While using a spyglass ,
reduce the distance to an object
or location by half for purposes o f
making Spot checks . Obviously, thi s
provides a tremendous benefit whe n
looking at objects in the distance .
Start a Fire : Whi le in bright sun -
light a spyglass can he used to start a
small fire or light a torch when flin t
and steel is nut available . This proces s
takes one full minute. :
 lhe lust for treasure, whether beautiful baubles, items
of eldritch power, or precious gold, ignites the heart s
of all adventurers . This fire, whether the ragin g
inferno within a grasping rogue or the tiny spark [bon d
within even f he most : altruistic paladin, drives them to tak e
staggering risks, endure unimaginable trials, and brave th e
unknown three and time again . Yet chalking up this desir e
to simple, callous greed does a disservice to that money -
minded breed of adventurer known as the treasure hunter .
Monsters and villains hoard treasure ; usually Stealing
these valuables (turn 'he. bodies of their victims . More rarely
they come by their wealth honestly, but even their they ofte n
plan to use it to inflict misery and suffering upon the world .
Treasure hunters battle their way into the lairs of such mon-
strosities, hopefully destroying them, but at the very leas t
liberating their valuables fin . less dangerous distribution.
This article explores the art o[treasure hunting, offerin g
advice and ideas to overcome the three most common dilem-
mas adventurous pilferers face : How to maximize incom e
gained from a successful adventure, how to get newly finin d
wealth home, and how to keep treasure safe .
Lea No Slate 11 nd
Every treasure hunter should keep one primary objectiv e
in mind while exploring : to squeeze every last copper ou t
of an adventuring site . While treasure hunting you should
keep in mind several tips to assure that your mark is
picked as cleanly as possible .
The Vical dungeon brims with untold threats and count -
less dangers: defeating guards and their masters, disarmin g
traps, navigating treacherous obstacles, and all the othe r
hazards adventurers might face . Such distractions ofte n
hinder a treasure hunter attempting to thoroughly search
for or keenly appraise potential treasures . Thus, the first ste p
to a successful treasure hunt is to make the surroundin g
area safe for exploration before gathering up even the mos t
obvious treasure. Magic items, artwork, coins, gems, and
anything else striking your fancy could all prove to be trig-
gers for untold threats. Thus, a treasure hunter should check
conspicuous treasure for traps, after which the search for a
dungeon's hidden wealth may begin.
I. (il oq1 i 4•` UJ i 1e. 5s's-
Most creatures make some effort to keep the items they cher -
ish out of the hands of others, but the strategies they emplo y
depend on their cunning and resources . Some might simpl y
bury their treasure, while others might disguise it with illusion s
deep within elaborate puzzle mazes . All of these approache s
suffer from one significant weakness . Somewhere along th e
line they invariably leave a witness to the loot 's location .
Such a witness might prove even more valuable than a
dozen succ:essfiii Search checks . Even if they only provide
a single piece of-the puzzle, witnesses push you one ste p
closer to uncovering treasure someone believed valuabl e
enough to hide . While interrogating a witness might onl y
reveal a clue to a treasure 's location, even the most innocu-
ous detail should not be overlooked .
Start by interrogating captured minions and othe r
defeated foes . Treasure hunters should always lake prison-
ers, whether for ransom, bounty, or the information the y
possess. While the Intimidate and Bluff skills often prove
quite useful in such. situations, never forget your magical
resources . Even at low levels, spells such as charm person,
detect thoughts, and zone of truth usually provide all th e
infirrrnation you need . Alternatively . more powerful spells
like dominate person or lesser ,geas might gain a subject's
complete cooperation . Sometimes giving a subject a curse d
item like a ring of clumsiness, stone of rami.glrt, or even a peri -
apt ()flout rotting and offering to remove the curse if h e
cooperates might prove particularly effective at loosenin g
a henchman's tongue . With greater resources available, us e
fact checking magic like commune or legend lore to demon-
strate that lying serves no purpose . Planar ally and its vari-
ants might also allow you to conjure monsters to do you r
interrogation for you. For instance, a leonal guardinal pos-
sesses the ability to read the minds of those around it .
From there, spend some time questioning any innocent s
and non-combatants fbund within the dungeon. Liberated
prisoners often tuna out to be fonts of useful infarrnation ,
passing on snatches of overheard conversation or relaying
 '-rf'IIM '1
The right gear often spells th e
difference between dizzying succes s
and potentially fatal failure . Whil e
by no means inclusive, four type s
of equipment should be considere d
whenever you go treasure hunting .
Despite their usefulness, these item s
might prove burdensome if carrie d
throughout an entire adventure . i f
possible, stash them somewher e
nearby and retrieve them once yo u
secure the area you ' re searching .
Evaluation Gear Accuratel y
cataloging the treasure you discove r
sometimes turns into a real headache .
Including equipment like merchant ' s
scales, a magnifying glass, and simila r
gear helps a great deal with Apprais e
checks . Also consider more esoteri c
equipment that might prove useful in
details gloatingly revealed during tortur e
sessions . Similarly, a villain 's servants
and slaves are frequently ignored as they
go about their daily routines and coul d
possess extremely valuable informa-
tion. Keep in mind that lycanthropcs ,
doppelgangers, and all manner of other
shapechangers might hide among such
perceived innocents . Thus, treasure
hunters should always veri f y a newly dis -
covered ally's legitimacy by using spell s
like detect evil and zone of truth.
Finally, never neglect otherwis e
silent witnesses your magic might
make available to you, such as animals ,
plants, objects, and even the bodie s
of slain foes . Druids, with access t o
spells like speak with animals, speak wit h
plants, and .ctonetell, prove especiall y
valuable in such situations . A hors e
used to drag open a cunningly hidde n
stone door might remember its loca-
tion, while a tree could recount an y
hollow spaces through which its root s
stretch, perhaps even detailing a ches t
of buried treasure snarled at its base .
O er1ooked Valuables
Often in the rush to complete a n
adventure, treasure hunters neglect
determining more about an item tha n
merely its value . For example, arcan e
or historical books might help wit h
Knowledge checks made to identify
strange glyphs. Fortunately, this equip-
ment can often be left behind if you 're
willing to drag mysterious treasure s
back home with you .
Extraction Gear Sometimes the mos t
valuable items in a dungeon might b e
found on, or even within, one of you r
slain foes . A selection of tools like pliers ,
butcher's knives, and saws, all to remov e
monster bits you might resell, allows
you to make sure nothing of value gets
left behind . Don't forget to includ e
some jars of formaldehyde or a simila r
preservative to ensure that perish-
able parts make it to market . For more
information on such grim yet profitabl e
opportunities, see the article "Usin g
Power Components" in DRAGON #317.
to consider the potential value o f
" dungeon dressing" like furniture,
household fixtures, books, and eve n
the gear of their defeated foes . While
it might seem penny ante.., thes e
things can add up very quickly . For
instance, ten suits of chainmail armo r
seized from an orc war band might be
resold firr y5o gp. In the Middle Ages,
anad perhaps also in your campaign
world, spices such as pepper an d
cinnamon were literally worth thei r
weight in gold, so be sure not to over -
look items that might seem mundan e
to modern sensibilites.
Approach dungeons with th e
attitude that you will find a buye r
for everything within them . Start b y
taking a detailed inventory of the
dungeon' s contents . Cross off item s
with an obvious market, such a s
weapons or books, and then carefully
consider what remains .
Ifyou truly can't think of any buy-
ers for some of the captured items ,
keep them and after a few adven-
tures you 'll probably have enoug h
such items to hold an auction . Th e
world teems with eccentrics, bar -
gain hunters, and those eager for
Magic Gear: Perhaps the most use-
ful magic item to any dungeon pilferer ,
a rod of metal and mineral detection i s
perfectly specialized to all forms of trea-
sure hunting. Costing a very reasonabl e
io,5oo gp, it could easily pay for itsel f
after the first use . Any serious treasur e
hunter should consider such an item a
crucial part of his magical arsenal . Also
consider single-use items like scrolls of
detect secret doors for the benefit the y
provide in uncovering hidden treasures .
Transportation Gear: The danger o f
something slipping through the crack s
or getting lost in the shuffle shoul d
haunt any true treasure hunter . just a
handful of useful items like a wheel -
barrow, tongs, scroll case, manacles
for prisoners, and your own chest wit h
a sturdy lock should afford your new-
est finds significant security and yo u
greater peace of mind .
trophies and souvenirs . Someon e
might want i he shaving kit of a for-
mer warlord or the personal journal
of a mad wizard . When all else fails ,
simply toss the stuff into a seale d
box and ask for bids on " lot 24, a
chest of mystery! "
laded lead or 1 rel
While no hero would participate in
actual slavery, foes taken alive migh t
offer up other ways to make you rich .
Start by researching if any of you r
prisoners possess outstanding boun-
ties . Even a lowly guard might hav e
offended someone enough to warran t
a 20 or 30 gp reward for his capture .
If you were lucky enough to captur e
a spellcaster, put him to work onc e
you eliminate him as a threat, possi-
bly snaking him use his magic for yo u
in return for his freedom . Requiring
a captured spellcaster to cast spells
with either permanent durations lik e
continual, flame or those that last unti l
triggered like magic mouth gives you a
source of free magic. If he possesse s
item creation feats, put him to wor k
producing magic items for you to sell .
The experience point costs prevent
him from'becoming powerful enoug h
to challenges'}ob again later.
Monsters taken alive could turn
a profit as zoo exhibits, gladiato-
rial beasts, or as curiosities for a
wealthy noble or merchant prince .
Creatures like cockatrices, if properl y
contained, make excellent guardia n
beasts, attacking anyone who enter s
their new lair . Sec chapter 4 of th e
Arms and Equipment Guide for mor e
ideas on purling monsters to use ,
as well as the most common marke t
prices for their purchase .
Also, never forget to check if anyon e
you rescued during the course of a n
adventure has the ability to rewar d
you in some way. Villains often tak e
prisoners for ransom or as leverag e
against a more powerful person wh o
cares about them . The gratitude of a n
affluent merchant or high-level cleri c
could prove quite useful .
Dead foes, especially the humanoi d
ones, tend to be more problematic.
An enemy of s ufficient stature might
inspire you to use spells like
raise dead and turn him over
to those willing to offer a
bounty or who simpl y
want the pleasure
of executing him themselves . Expec t
this to backfire at some point, perhap s
by the villain escaping and vowing
revenge, so charge a hefty risk pre-
mium. Also, be aware that spells like
raise dead only work if the creature's
soul is willing to return . Not man y
beings want to return to life only t o
face imprisonment or execution . On a
more callous note, the threat of a par-
ticularly hated or feared villain return-
ing from the grave might inspire som e
kind of "death ransom" where someon e
actually pays you to make sure he stay s
dead . Depending upon the amoun t
paid, this could range from a simpl e
cremation and scattering ot'the ashe s
to casting disintegrate, or even soul bind ,
on the corpse. The villain' s legal heirs ,
particularly if he enjoyed a noble title ,
sometimes make good first contacts in
these sorts of negotiations. Remem-
ber, accepting multiple commission s
for the same deed from a number
of sources is not unethical-it 's jus t
good business.
Monsters, on the other hand, ofte n
end up worth more dead than alive .
The Monster Manual teems with crea-
tures that could provide interestin g
trinkets and trophies . A coat mad e
from winter wolf hide, a minotau r
horn mead cup, or a writing pen made
from a stirge's proboscis are just . a few
of the possibilities. If you make a stud y
of taxidermy, make a point of stuffin g
and mounting creatures like owlhear s
or giant vermin to sell as curiosities .
Also, keep your eyes open for organ s
or body parts useful as potential com-
ponents or items of interest to wizard s
and other scholarly types . If you hav e
contacts with the idle rich, don 't forge t
the appeal of selling a monster as a n
exotic bit of food . Imagine the socia l
coup for someone who actually serve d
dragon steak at a banquet or offere d
up wine made from the berries of an
assassin vine .
T ucf 1k In tt bM. ring ?
DMs love to include interesting magi-
cal effects, spectacular scenery,
and unusual settings i n
adventures they design.
Healing springs ,
wishing wells,

The typical campaign world teem s
with petty lordlings, customs agents ,
and other bureaucrats little bette r
than the bandits they claim to fen d
off. As a rule of thumb, attacking gov -
ernment officials, regardless of you r
level, is seldom a good idea . Govern-
ments have long memories, immens e
resources, and the ability to haras s
you almost constantly. Escaping thes e
officials with your treasure intac t
depends upon advance preparatio n
and planning.
Start by cultivating a relationshi p
with someone higher up the govern -
mental food chain than the inspector s
animated statues, and similar fur-
nishthgs decorate numerous dun-
geons . Similarly, villains often see m
to choose places like mines, vineyards ,
and ships as their lairs.
Keep your eyes open to the wide r
picture when on adventures, espe-
cially in places that-should you suc-
ceed at your goals-will soon need
a new owner . Sometimes the most
valuable treasure in a dungeon turn s
out to be the dungeon itself Whethe r
a destination for pilgrimages or a
defensible outpost, the profit poten-
tial of these places demands tha t
you stake your clairri early . Also, if a
dungeon possesses a lucrative feature ,
like is healing spring or an actual vei n
o f - gold, it could provide a near endles s
source of income for entrepreneurs .
NoBhth9 Cefs teff Behind.
()thm, finding treasure turns out to
be the easy part . Getting your newl y
acquired wealth home intact, withou t
interference from those hoping t o
skim some of it for themselves, ca n
be an adventure in itself . For bulky
treasure, such as the tens of thousand s
of - copper pieces DMs seem to relis h
dumping in dragon hoards and lichs '
vaults, even finding a way to transpor t
it could prove a daunting task .
you expect to deal with-a person abl e
to intervene on your behalf, a nam e
you might use to intimidate lesse r
bureaucrats into letting you pass o r
at least overlook some of the costlie r
items . Do these people favors, emplo y
healing magic for them and thei r
loved ones, and shower them wit h
gifts-especially minor magic items.
While this might seem excessive, kee p
in mind that most customs agents
demand a percentage of the tota l
value of the goods you hope to brin g
through their territory .
if you have no relationshi p
with someone in authority, resort
to other methods . One possibl e
Is This Alt Gang to fit?
Begin by finding the most effective
way to store your treasure . Make sur e
to keep a decent supply of - sacks an d
chests nearby befbre you enter th e
dungeon and prepare to use cages ,
bottles, and other more unusual
containers when necessary . Moving a
large amount of treasure might prov e
difficult, so whenever possible fin d
magical ways to reduce the load .
Make full use of perennial favor-
ites like bogs gf holding, portable holes,
and the spell Leornund '.s secret chest a s
containers for your treasure . Tensor s
floating disk makes transporting eve n
mundane containers effortless . Neve r
hesitate to use creativity when con-
sidering the potential of other magic
items and spells . For example, castin g
levitate on a net full of loot allows yo u
to pull it along behind you withou t
effort . Alternatively, consider usin g
the permanency spell in conjunctio n
with animate object to create mobil e
treasure chests.
Less 1s Bier Than None
Never forget the old maxim, "a bir d
the hand is worth two in the bush ."
Treasure hunters must be level heade d
and practical . Never let sentiment o r
esthetics get between you and profit .
For instance, it's better to melt down a
gold statue into more manageable bars
approach is to use the illusory scrip t
spell to implant a suggestion such as ,
" let us through and then forget ." If th e
official makes his saving throw all h e
sees is gibberish, making this a fairl y
safe approach .
Remember, auditors expect yo u
to try to get something past them ,
they distrust complete honesty, s o
give them some minor victories t o
make the inspection go smoother .
Deliberately hide some minor item s
in obvious places, and let them hav e
their moment of triumph when the y
find them . Pay the fine with a grin ,
and make sure the really valuable stuf f
remains adequately concealed .
than to leave it sitting in a dungeo n
room waiting for someone else t o
come along and claim if .
This does not mean you should
wantonly destroy artwork or beautifu l
things. They tend to be quite valuable ,
so whenever possible find ways to brin g
them out intact . Sometimes a simpl e
levitate spell does the trick, turning a
half-ton obstacle into something merel y
needing a good, hard push to get it ou t
of the dungeon.
1avfars and Pack Th1e, s
Even the brawniest of - fighters ca n
only carry so much, and since heav y
encumbrance makes all adventurers
less effective in combat, finding alter -
native ways to get your treasure hom e
makes good sense . Mules and othe r
pack beasts make popular choices, a s
do non-combatants like peasants o r
local villagers . All too often adventur-
ers find themselves protecting peopl e
who have no way to repay them for the
service. Enlisting a few dozen as bear-
ers to carry your treasure home onc e
you've actually slain the dragon is th e
least they could do.
However, keep in mind that. the
inability of pack beasts and porters to
defend themselves sometimes require s
you to spend an excessive amount o f
time guarding them, cutting down o n
your opportunities for further
adventures and chances to gain more
treasure. Using magic to enhance the m
in some way, increasing the distance
they can cover, the loads they can bear ,
and similar factors, goes a long wa y
toward improving the chances of all
your loot. (and those carrying it) safely
making it back to your base of opera-
tions . Spells such as shadow walk allo w
you to efficiently lead a chain of:- mule s
across half the continent, while anima l
shapes permits you to turn your porter s
into birds rapidly winging over moun-
tains and bodies of water.
Finding more unusual creatures t o
carry your treasure tends to be a bette r
solution . Start by using animate dead t o
Convert your former foes into tireles s
treasure carriers . Similarly, the awaken
spell used on a tree could provide a
very strong and able porter, one few
bandits would care to mess with . Never
forget the effectiveness of enchant-
ment spells-to sway a useful monste r
to your side just long enough to carry
your gear home .
Nothinq to See Fore?
Successfully hiding your treasur e
from bandits, government inspec-
tors, monsters, those disputing you r
ownership, or simply the curiou s
involves a great deal of ingenuity
and cunning . Always look for a cleve r
angle or new trick. For instance, if
you actually used an animate dea d
spell to create zombie porters, orde r
them to swallow things like gem -
stones and jewelry and retrieve th e
items at the end of the trip. Zombie s
have no need to eat and feel no pain ,
so why let all that valuable interna l
space go to waste ?
Use the spell permanency to mak e
a chest invisible and hide your bes t
stuff inside . Make extensive use of th e
shrink item spell in order to turn highl y
valuable items into ordinary swatche s
of cloth easily hidden and overlooked .
Similarly, a baklzl polymorph spel l
could be used to turn a pack mule int o
a songbird, cheerfully trilling in it s
cage while thieves and auditors tear
your baggage apart vainly searching fo r
your most valuable items .
4 the '5 Mte9 S±nos ~e
Having already changed hands at least
before it gets spirited away.'i`he bes t
guards tend to be those without th e
need to eat, sleep, or socialize at all .
once, maintaining custody of newl y Mindless undead, constructs, immobil e
acquired treasure until deciding t o plants, and similar creatures shoul d
part with it should be one of a treasur e make up most ofyour guardian roster.
hunte r 's foremost concerns . The easies t Intelligent creatures, while often
solution is to keep your treasure clos e more adaptable, present the risk o f
at hand, but this raises two problems . betrayal or desertion . If concerne d
First, staying at home to guard you r about their trustworthiness, be sure t o
valuables means you cannot go out an d employ magic like ,peas/guest or mark of
get more, an unthinkable possibility justice to ensure they stay at their posts .
for all true treasure hunters . Second , Alternatively, simply seal away fero-
once word gets out that your strong- cious creatures like girallons or owl -
hold contains plenty of treasure, expec t bears and expect them to attack anyone
visitors intent on claiming their awn who enters (including yourself) . Make
share with sword and spell . sure you provide such guardians with
a steady source of food or magic, like a
X harks fie Spot clear spindle ioun stone (which sustains
The one advantage of burying or con- a creature without foo d
cealing your treasure is that it leaves and water), if you want
you free to pursue other interests them to last more then
while your wealth theoretically sit s a few days . Another pos -
undisturbed . Of course, the great dis- sibility is to strike a deal
advantage is that it also leaves the trea- with an ethical monste r
sure free for the taking should anyon e like a gold dragon, offer-
find it. Make liberal use of traps an d ing it some of you r
spells to deter would-be robbers . treasure in exchang e
Spells such as alarm, explosive runes, for temporarily
, glyph of wardinp, and sepia snake sigi l adding the rest
give you a measure of reassurance tha t ofyour valu -
your treasure will stay put . Puttin g ables to its
treasure in hard to reach places---like horde . 4
using plane shift to deposit it on th e
Elemental Plane of Earth or dump-
ing it into an ocean trench -
has many advantages,
but don 't forget tha t
these places have thei r
own inhabitants . In
these circumstances it ' s
usually best to eithe r
befriend the natives o r
hide your wealth some -
place inaccessible eve n
to them .
Relg on Guardians
Setting up someone o r
something to guard you ;
treasure ()Hen proves
quite effective, either t o
eliminate robbers or a t
least buy you some tim e
to reach your treasure
 oul beyond reasoning and old beyond reckoning, half-
F crazed shadows cackle madly in the mist-shroude d
night . larking in the rank, wild places even the braves t
fear to tread, nightmare crones haunt the legends of ever y
culture and hint at the corruption that festers deep withi n
each mortal soul . Cunning predators, vengeful adversar-
ies, and warped reflections of the civilized races, these ar e
the monstrosities known as hags .
This treatise marks the first : of- a three-part series detail-
ing the foul powers, cruel plots, and preternatural lifccycl e
of the mostly frequently encountered and arguably mos t
deadly breeds of hags .
HISTORY OF GRE HE
For as long as there have been tales to tell, there hav e
been whispered warnings of - hags . From legends of CTUe 1
yet wise seers prowling the fringes of civilization to cau -
tionary talcs of cursed, hate-filled women, hags haunt th e
mythology and fiilk-stories of nearly every race.
One legend stands out among the countless others ,
told among dozens of races with little variation . Know n
as Kiersana the Un t.[dill to elves and to ores as C rigg a
Tocgnawcr, the fable of the creature most commonly calle d
Green Mary terrorizes the dreams of countless children ,
regardless of race.
In a time long ago Green Mary lived as a protector of th e
woodlands and its creatures, abeau tfied
i druid with a fores t
domain encompassing hundreds of miles . Making her hors e
at her forest's heart, protected and served by the creature s
that she in turn watched over, Green Mary worshiped an d
obeyed the spirits of nature and their timeless laws . On th e
day the winds whispered of danger and the crows squawke d
of death, she investigated their reports . Her search led her t o
a powerful and skilled hunter who stalked her animal wards
out of sport and felled the trees to
make his weapons . Although the voice s
of the Finest cried out for revenge
against the careless hunter, Green Mary
found him as comely as he was dan-
gerous. Moved to speak with him, sh e
became entranced by his silken word s
and he compelled by her beauty. That
night, Green Mary defied the timeles s
whispers of the forest and lay with the
source of their wrath.
the next morning, the hunter awoke
to find his lover horrifically trans -
formed . The forest had reclaimed it s
servant's wiltiirl body, changing he r
milky skin in to gnarled bark, her rave n
hair into vines, and her soft hands int o
twisted claws . Realizing the extent of
her sin, Green Mary obeyed her spiri t
masters ' orders with a Earth] an d
repentant fervor . When it was done,
not even a drop of the hunter's bloo d
remained to stain the veTdant ground .
Yet nature knows no mercy, and ,
despite Green Mary 's atonement, her
form did not return to its one-tim e
alluring shape . Disgusted by her
actions and new form, she fled th e
beautiful groves and glens throug h
which she once danced and took u p
residence among the rotting vines
and festering pools of her forest's
most putrid swamp .'thus rose the
first green hag, a creature of natur e
enslaved to passion but . fated t o
destroy all after which she lusts .
PHYSIOLOGY OF GRffH HflcT
Green hags possess fearsome powers ,
horrible diseased features, and crue l
natural weaponry, but despite all o f
this, perhaps their most disturbin g
trait is how closely they resembl e
normal humans. Ranging the same
heights and weights as human females ,
only their withered, swampy a ppcar-
ances mark green hags as anything
more then particularly misshape n
crones, and even these tell-tale defor-
mities might be hidden behind myriad
magical disguises . Monstrous yet
strangely familiar, green hags prove the
least physically terrifying of all hags ,
marking them as the hest examples o f
all hags ' aberrant crossbred ancestry.
Although their proportions mimi c
those ofwithered human women, thei r
bent backs and hunched postures mak e
some appear far shorter.' their weight .
also nuns to far greater extremes, wit h
some green hags appearing as emaci-
ated, skeletal things while others can
barely support- their own obese bulk .
Regardless of appearance, one mus t
never assume that a green hag is frai l
or sickly, as all of their race posses s
physical powers outstripping nearly any
humanoid of similar size.
Aside from seemingly unnatura l
strength, a green hag's twisted for m
affords it a host of extraordinary and
deadly powers . A green ha g 's physica l
similarity to human women is only
superficial, as any who nears swiftl y
sees . Their mold-colored ha i. r forms a
wild viny tangle that rings their exag-
gerated, wart-covered features like a
swampy mane. Their bent bodies pos-
sess a similar algae-green coloring a s
their hair but appear scarred and thic k
like bark, often marked with cancerous ,
knobby protrusions. This callouse d
hide makes green hags particularl y
resistant to physical attacks and ofte n
aids them in hiding amid the decayin g
overgrown areas in. which they lair .
This warped, hard physiology become s
most deadly as it extends to green hag s '
hands, which twist. into yellow-nailed ,
filth-encrusted lalous as deadly as an y
wild beast's .
Perhaps it 's their physical heartiness.
or their similarity to gnarled trees, but
ECOLOG Y

. ..:.GREEN ::HAG KNOWLEDG E green hags never seem to age or su1Ii r

The following table shows the results of a Knowledge ;nature) check as it relates the ravages ot - time. As such, a gree n
to green hags . Inhabitants of rural and frontier communities roost often kno w hag might terrorize a region for untol d
this information, as it passes on through folktales and local legends . Due t o centuries, commonly hhecorning a
widespread fictitious stories involving green hags, some of the information pro- famous monstrosity that haunts local
vided at low DCs (15 and lower) is mere superstition and has no basis in truth . legends for generations.
Higher DC results (so or greater) contradict such fables with legitimate facts . Already so like the uncaring natu-
ral predators of the swamps, it' s little
Knowledge (nature) surprise that green hags can naturall y
DC Result mimic the sounds of the creatures tha t
10 Green hags are sadistic crorielike monstrosities who lurk only in swamp s live within their domains. 'Ibis abil-
and marshes. No plant, stone, or water way hinders them within thei r ity does not extend to speech or the
fetid domain and they hold mastery over all natural creatures . noises of manufactured items . but th e
r5 Green hags know much of magic and the natural world, and ca n sounds of wounded animals often prove
mimic the sounds of any animal that lives near their lair . Hags ca n sufficient enough to cause potentia l
magically swap their foul spawn with the unborn babes of othe r prey-whether other beasts or passing
races . Children suspected of having been swapped by a hag are calle d travelers-to investigate . Green hag s
calibans or changelings*. are known for slaying and dragging
20 Green hags can drain an enemy's strength with the slightest touch an d away the bodies of pets and animal s
possess significant resistance to magic . Although absolutely evil, gree n owned by-those who live on the edge ci f
ha•s are very intelli•ent and might barter or be reasoned with . swamps and fiiresls, then coaxing thei r
25 Green hags are the [east xenophobic of all hags and might appear i n owners into the wilderness with th e
nearly any environment . They frequently infiltrate urban settings usin g creature's mianielced cries . As such, loca l
their innate abilities to change shape, speak any language, tur n wisdom commonly holds that anything
invisible, or create any number of other distractions . lost to the swamp remains there.
30 Green hags operate just as well above water as below. They often foste r With all their deadly natural powers ,
their children to humanoid families, but cannot switch children before the fact that. green hags also posses s
; birth . There is no such thing as acaiib• .an or changeling*. an arsenal of supernaiural and magi c
*This is merely a colloquial term and has no relation to the changelings of th e abilities merely compounds their hor-
EaemRON campaign setting. rific nature . Aside from their abilit y
to see in total darkness, resist magic ,
and perform a wide range of deceitful
and misleading magic, a green hag's
most deadly weapon is her slightes t
touch . With. a mere brush of her mis-
shapen claw a green hag might sap th e
strength fi•ore even the strongest war-
rior. Although some might resist, fe w
can hope to overpower a green hag' s
already formiidahle strengt h
with their own leeched away .
Frequently using this ability to
their advantage, green hags flavo r
draining an enemy's strength unti l
he ' s totally unable to move, then either
drowning him in their boggy home s
or d ragging him back to their lairs,
usually for some unspeakable magical
or-even worse-amorous purpose .

NNYLHoLOGY ITO SOCIETY

F-hatred and dreams of ruin dominat e

the minds of green hags . The y
seek the destruction of al l
things civilized and beautiful,
 POWERS OF THE COVEY: HAG EYE S themselves under layers of their inher-
One of the most potent and versatile abilities of a hag covey is the unique powe r ent magic, green hags sometimes lai r
to create magic gems known as hag eyes. While these gems superficially appear a s in the slums or sewers of cities, stalkin g
nothing more than semiprecious stones, spells such as true seeing revea l their prey within their own
them as monstrous disembodied eyes . As long as a hog eye remain s homes . In such cases, green
on the same plane as its makers, any of the hags who created i t hags frequently disguis e
can see through it whenever they please . themselves as beautifu l
The creation of a hag eye requires a gem of any size wort h women . and tempt :
no less than 5o gp, the cooperative efforts of an entire men to secluded
covey of hags, and three days . During these three days a locales with libidi -
covey spends much of its time in deep concentration an d nous promises an d
meditation, preventing its members from performing an y appealing disguises .
action besides eating, drinking, and sleeping. Arty disrup- Although . green hag s
tion of this meditative state foils the creation of the hag eye , do not seek out mal e
and while it does not destroy the gern, it forces the covey t o victims exclusively, the y
begin the ritual anew . At the end of this period, the life essence s find that men quite easily ,
of all the covey 's members are bound to the hug eye, allowing an y almost . willingly, fall to thei r
of them to use its powers at any time, but also causing all of them to suffe r temptations . Once alone, they tak e
should the gem ever be destroyed (see page 344 of the Monster Monuaf) . There i s sadistic pleasure in revealing their tru e
no limit to the number of hag eyes a covey might create, although only one ca n firrrns to their would-lee lovers befor e
be created in any three-day period . savagely slaughtering them . However,
Hag coveys make use of their hog eyes in an insidious variety of ways . even worse is when a green ha g 's victim s
Aberrant Accessories: Often setting hog eyes into jewelry, a hag with the abil- are more than mere would-be lovers .
ity to change her shape might distribute these gems to potential victims o r Insanity often follows those that surviv e
powerful opponents as innocuous gifts, keepsakes, or forget-me-nots . Once i n such atraurnatizing rendezvous .
place, a hag knows the wearer's every step. With thoughts of feeding and repro-
Watchful Masters : Hags frequently equip their servants with hug eyes, allowin g duction aside, green hags ultimatel y
them to keep aware of all of their minions' dealings and encounters . Combine d seek the corruption and downfall of all
with spells such as clairaudience/clairvoyance, sending, or whispering wind, hag s things civil and pure . Intelligent and
might effectively communicate through even their weakest servitors . cunning in the extreme, green hag s
Natural Spies : Hags with animal companions or familiars often send suc h seduce and beguile their way into posi-
nondescript creatures (especially those with wings) on reconnaissance an d tions of power, installing themselve s
patrol duties bearing hag eyes. Setting the gems in tree branches, hallows, an d as consorts ofcommuniiy leaders o r
rocky crevices scattered throughout their territories also allow is hags to kee p even false goddesses to tribes of savag e
constant vigil over their claimed territories . humanoids. Daring those under thei r
Treasure Trap : Hag eyes are frequently worked into magic items or otherwis e influence to more and more profan e
attached to a hag covey's most powerful or valuable treasures . Should it thie f and degenerate acts, the greatest plot s
steal such an item, its hag owners murderously seek out and punish the culprit , of green hags seek to recreate civiliza-
swiftly retrieving their possession . tion into the brutal, decaying morasse s
1 hey naturally favor.
but whether out of some forgotte n face some hor rible end, but green hags Green hags prove far more willin g
offense or hereditary spite i s commonly favor far more grandiose to cooperate with . other creatures har-
unknown . Yet while these cruel plots . Frequent ]y, green hags disguis e boring similar goals-both of - their
aspirations and the seemingly innat e themselves and walk among the very own race a o d others-than othe r
nerd to torment and kill inspir e races they terrorize . Spreading rumor s breeds of hags. While all hags gai n
the foul deeds of all hags, gree n of wise women or beautiful fey who live great benefits from forming coveys ,
hags act with a malevolence an d in the nearby wilderness, they eagerly green hags most frequently form suc h
deceitfiilness in excess of even thei r make themselves into local legends . alliances and triunes of green hag s
most savage brethren . Such rumors often lead the foolish and form far more frequently than one s
Far more glib and persuasive the n desperate to seek the source of the tales, consisting exclusively of annis or sea
any of their sister hags, green hag s only to fall into the green hag's clutches . hags . Besides their own sisters, gree n
excel at manipulation and temptation . Besides luring victims to their homes, hags frequently ally with other evi l
Their simplest plots involve using thei r more so than any oilier types of hags , swamp dwelling creatures, findin g
natural and magical abilities to lur e green hags actively seek out and invad e particular affinity with the alien cruelt y
trespassers into their swampy home to humanoid settlements . Disguising of will-a-wisps, and sometimes putting

May 2005 DRAGON 331

 Being a race exclusively consisting of females, hags must look outside of
their own species to propagate. Once every century a hag feels the com-
pulsion to reproduce . Using kidnapping and magical disguises, hags see k
out nearly any humanoid male (seemingly preferring humans and hal f
elves). The resulting tryst is swift and brutal, often---as an unintentiona l
mercy-culminating in the death of the male ,
I-fags innately know the moment they are with child an d
enter a nine-month period of decreased activity . Durin g
this time, hags largely rely on their covey sisters o r
guardians to protect them . However, this letharg y
makes them no less deadly if they are roused t o
action . At the end of this period the hag give s
birth to a female child that looks like a perfectl y
normal member of the father's race .
Despite their compulsion to bear children, hag s
possess no maternal instincts and rarely raise thei r
own spawn . Instead, hags frequently seek out female newborn s
in nearby humanoid settlements, kidnapping and murdering a suitable child , should seek out magic items like dus t
and replacing it with their own . in this way, hags perpetuate their foul spe- r f 'appearance or gems ofseeing, whic h

cies, leaving their daughters to grow as parasites within the same culture s
they despise . Often the young hags know nothing of their nature, at least unti l
they reach maturity and undergo the Change, when they take on the form an d
mannerisms of a true hag .
aside their hatred of humanoids to ally
with evil druids. However, like all hags ,
green bags feel a natural-although
sometimes unwarranted-sense of
superiority over all creatures and kno w
nothing of true trust or partnership .
Although a green hag might ally wit h
or even pose as a servant to anothe r
creature, such an alliance lasts only as
long as it is convenient or until sh e
sees an opportunity to supplant he r
supposed master.
1'1. Wu; fi n
Cunning and duplicitous in ways that
far outstrip even their hag sisters, onl y
adventurers armed with the best equip-
ment and information can hope t o
stand against a green hag and survive .
Second Your Senses : Green hags
possess a host of spell-like abilities tha t
allow them to trick the senses . When
pursuing one of these monstrosities,
adverilurerS should rely on multipl e
senses before taking anything at face
value. For example, a green hag unde r
the effect : of her disguise self abilit y
might. be revealed simply by inter-
acting with her physically (as creature s
that touch such a glamer receive a save
to disbelieve the illusion). In addition,
adventurers should be wary of dis-
tracting and misleading spell-like an d
extraordinary abilities, such as dancing
lights, ghost sound, or the ha g's mimicry
ability, and should only investigat e
unexplained sights and sounds wit h
extreme caution ,
Steel Your Strength: A green hag
can sap the vigor from even the strong -
est. warrior with the merest touch . 'l b
defend against her weakening touch ,
adventurers should consider castin g
spells like hull's strength, heroism, protec-
tionfrore evil, lesser restoration, or eve n
make use of a bard's inspire courag e
ability to boost their Fortitude sevin g
throws or regain lost Strength .
Dispel Disguises : Green hags ma y
use any of their spell-like abilities a t
will, and thus use them frequently .
While adventurers might seek to cas t
spells like dispel magic orglitterdust t o
reveal a magically masked green hag ,
these crones can replace their dispelled
disguises in moments . Instead, hag
hunters should cast spells that con-
tinually reveal or bypass illusions . such
as detect thoughts, ire isihility purge, o r
true seeing. Better funded adventurers
provide more versatile, longer-lasting ,
and more reliable effects .
Unexpectedly Underwater: Adven-
turers cannot afford to forget that
green hags can move just as nimbl y
underwater as on land . Possessin g
both a swim speed and the spell-like
ability to breathe water, every stag-
nant pool . and placid pond becomes a
potential ambush site . Taking advan-
tage of their weakness supernatura l
ability and their target 's vulnerabl e
state, green hags take special pleasur e
in grappling those who pass by their
hunting waters and dragging them
underwater, where the victim's sur-
prise and terror swiftly brings a par-
ticularly horrific death by drowning.
Classed Crones and Local Legends:
Perhaps more than any other hag, gree n
hags arc likely to take levels in a variet y
of character classes (see " Root of Evil "
in DUNGEON for an example) .
Well suited to the various spellcastin g
classes, as well as those that thrive in
natural settings, green hags frequentl y
add the abilities of -barbarians, druids,
or sorcerers to their already potent
arsenal of abilities . 'Thus, adventurer s
should always research their prey an d
listen well to the stories of locals . Th e
tale of Gnarled Jan controlling th e
beasts of the swamps might suggest a
green hag druid more powerful tha n
her ordinary kin.
 agic items. Heroes of so man y
M worlds rely upon them . Rings ,
potions, weapons, armor, an d
countless other trinkets provide
these adventurers with the means
to survive against incredible odds .
Heroes rely upon magic item s
because such Ireasures are so reli-
able . Spellcasters have so finely
tuned the art and craft behind their
creation that few think twice before
using an enchanted sword take n
from the battlefield . Certainly, craft-
ers sometimes make mistakes, bu t
more often a faulty item turned
out exactly as its crafter intended :
warped and cursed .
$RRO OF BURSTING
This arrow 's shaft has
numerous shallow
carvings of flames running
from its black, wrought-
iron tip to its red, orange ,
and yellow retching .
Disguised by a :Nystul 's
magic aura to appear as a
+s arrow (DC au Will save to
disbelieve, if you cast identi.bt on
it), this arrow explodes in a fiery
burst when nocked and drawn ,
burning the archer and cuttin g
the bowstring. It deals ad6 point s
of fire damage (DC IS Refle x
save fin- half). Failing the sav e
snaps the bowstring, which mus t
be replaced . A severed bowstring
requires z round to replace .
Faint evocation ; CT . 5th; Craft
Magic Arms and Armor, burnin g
hands, Nysta l 's magic aura ; Price moo
g p ; Weight - .
GHOST MflHTI f
An old gray cloak, tattered an d
musty, the ghost mantle bears a
clasp in the form of an elongated ,
screaming ghostly face . The mantl e
grants its wearer many of the quali-
tics and abilities of a ghost .
Once the clasp is done, the weare r
(and all of his equipment) become s
incorporeal . He also gains the mani-
festation ability, horrific appearance ,
and corrupting touch attack, as per
the ghost template (see page 7 1 7 o i l h e
Monster Manual) . The ghost mantle's
wearer also gains the same immu-
nity to eftcets that require Fort save s
as a crealure w•i t :h the undead type .
In exchange fine this power, though ,
the mantle slowly feeds off of the
wearer's life force .
Immediately upon donning
the ,ghost mantle the wearer suf-
fers i point of Constitution
drain, and he takes an additiona l
1 point of Constitution drai n
every round thereafter until slai n
or he removes the mantle . Th e
man-He hides this damage fro m
the wearer, although he can mak e
a DC 20 Wisdom check to realiz e
this weakening. If the wearer 's
Constitution score reache s
o while wearing th e
ghost mantle (whethe r
from the mantle's
drain effect o r
from anothe r
source), he ghos t
mantle imme -
diately teleport s
idiot miles in a
random directio n
(it . never appear s
within a solid object) .
An hour later, the slai n
wearer becomes a cha-
otic evil ghost who can-
not he laid to rest unti l
the cloak is destroyed . The wearer can still remove th e
Strong necromanc y mask simply by pulling it away unti l
and transmutation ; C L the sun's rays alight upon it . Onc e
77t.h ; Craft Wondrou s the sun touches it, the mask bonds
Item ; create greater with the wearer's face, becoming a
undead ; Price roo,oo o part of it, and can only be remove d
gp ; Weight lli . will] a success fin break enchantment,
miracle, remove curse, or with . An y
MH OF TH E attempt to remove the bonded mas k
other than casting the aforemen-
A beautiful mask sewn tioned spells deals 1d6 points o f
together from the petal s damage to the wearer.
of brightly colored flow- Once the mask has bonded to hi s
ers, this item surround s face, whenever the wearer is in natural
its wearer's face with a sunlight the mask seems to draw i n
feathery sunburst . the sun's power . This fills the wearer
When first donned the mas k with a sensation of warmth, fulfill-
simply surrounds the wearer's face , ment, and personal strength, grantin g
molding slightly to fit comfortably. a +4 enhancement bonus I o Charisma .
 Once bonded and away from th e
natural sunlight:, however, the l.a'u e
horror of the mask becomes appar-
ent . If deprived of the sun's light, th e
wearer feels lethargic, tired, and old.
In this condition, the mask 's weare r
loses the +4 enhancement bonus t o
Charisma, and instead suffers a -G
penalty to her Charisma .
Moderate irarasraautation; CL 8th ;
Craft Wondrous Item, hestow curse ,
eagle 's splendor; Price zo,ooo gp ;
Weight i lb .
RIH Of BRfflIHIKG WRTf R
This ring is made of polished pin k
coral with images of leaping fis h
encircling the band .
The rieu rf'hreutlairay water grant s
the wearer unlimited use of wate r
breathing while he remains under -
water. Upon returning to th e
surface, however, the weare r
quickly discovers that h e
can no longer breath e
air . I Ie can remain above
water fin' as long as h e
would have previousl y
been able to hold hi s
breath underwater befor e
the ring 's curse (sec the rule s
for drowning on page 304 of th e
DUNGEON MASTER 'S Guide). Once wor n
underwater, a remove curse spell i s
required to remove the ring.
Moderate transmutation ; Cl . ath ;
Forge Ring, freedom of movement, wate r
breathincl ; Price 6,ooo gp ; Weight :
ROD Of 11NIMHTfD Dffl D
Made of a humanoid femur, this ro d
bears a skeletal hand at one end, th e
fingers grasping the end with the ro d
pressed into the hand's palm . A ro d
of animated dead allows the wielder t o
cast animate dead, affecting all corpse s
within a io-foot burst, centered on th e
rod's bearer, up to five times per day .
With each activation the rod animate s
up to ro Hit Dice of skeletons or zom-
bies, beginning with those corpse s
closest to the rod 's wielder .
I.n ibrI:un at.e ly for the wielder,
undead animated using the ro d
are not under his control and
immediately attack any living creatur e
nearby-with the wielder of th e
rod attacked in preference over al l
other targets. Rod-animated undea d
otherwise act as normal undead .
Moderate Necromancy; CL 5th ;
Craft. Rod, animate dead ; Price 24,00 0
gp ; Weight 2lb .
ROD Of DROWN S
This rod looks exactly like a rod o f
enemy detection, and any attempt t o
determine its nature reveals it a s
such . The rod even tangentially act s
as a rod of - enemy detection, pulsing an d
pointing in th e
direction of creature s
hostile to its bearer.
However, when the wielder con-
centrates for a full round in a n
attempt to pinpoint an enemy o r
learn how many enemies are nearby,
the rod of delusions reveals its tru e
nature. At the end of the full-roun d
action the wielder must succeed a t
a DC 19 Will save or become delu-
sional . A delusional character per-
ceives numerous enemies aroun d
her . Ghosts linger just beyond th e
walls, illusionists whisper spells o f
deceit just around the corner, an d
worst of all, doppelgangers imper-
sonate her fellow adventurers! Thes e
delusions cause a wielder who fail s
her Will save to attack the creature s
nearest to her, typically her allies . She
continues to attack nearby creature s
until either they are all killed, sh e
falls unconscious (or is killed), or al l
visible targets leave her line of sight.
At that time she becomes fatigue d
and breaks free of - Lhe delusions, real-
izing with horror what she has done .
In combat, the rod of- delusion s
functions as a +a light mace. If unde r
the effects of the rod 's delusions . th e
wielder uses it in combat to attac k
nearby targets even if she has a bet -
ter weapon or has no proficiency
with a mace .
Strong enchantment CL : loth ; Craft
Rod, confusion, true seeing ; Price zo,on n
gp; Weight 4 lb .
SINK 1011H STO!lf
Specifically designed to slowly ren-
der spellcasters powerless, this ston e
is disguised to look like any other
known inn stone . When set i n
orbit about the head, the use r
hears twenty drunken voice s
loudly singing a bawdy
drinking song over and ove r
again, a cacophony only h e
can hear. The mental cho -
rus is enough to disrupt th e
concentration of even th e
most resolute spellcaster. When
attempting to cast a spell the victi m
must first succeed at a Concentra-
tion check (DC ac + spell level) . I f
the victim fails this Concentration
check, he automatically loses the
spell, he was casting. Attempts t o
use a skill not based on Strength o r
Constitution increases the DC of th e
skill check by +1o, due to the con-
stant distraction . The victim canno t
take to or take ao on any skill while
under the effect . of this item .
Dispel rna,gic and protection from evil
suppress the song for r minute pe r
caster level . The song otherwise rolls
on endlessly in the victim's mind, eve n
during sleep. Because of this constan t
noise, anyone afflicted with a sinning
tom stone must succeed at a DC 1 6
Fortitude save in order to get any rest .
If he fails that save he gets no rest an d
can neither prepare new spells no r
regain spell slots .
At tempts to remove tine stone b y
physical force cause the stone to freeze
in place and emit a piercing wail tha t
deals rid points of sonic damage to
every creature within 30 feet an d
deals rd6 points of intelligence dam -
age to the stone' s victim . A break
enchantment, miracle, remove curse, o r
wish spell allows for the safe remova l
of the stone .
Moderate evocation ; CL rzth ; Craft
Wondrous Item, shout; Price 12,ooo gp ;
Weight - .
SFfll.BOOI( OF DISSOLUTION
When one ofthese onerous tomes i s
first found, it appears to be a perfectl y
normal empty spel f hook . A Nystul's
magic aura spell masks the book's ter-
rible magical secret.
Whenever a wizard scribes a spell int o
a spellbook of dissolution, the spell scribe d
within becomes unreadable gibber-
ish that even the wizard who scribed i t
cannot understand . The garbled spell s
resist any attempt at deciphering them ,
as if of tno high a level fnr the reade r
to understand . Decipher Script check s
automatically fail, as do any attempts
to read magic. Even a wish cannot revea l
what the text means (as it is ultimatel y
magically shrouded complex gibberish) .
The garbling process takes 2 hour s
per level of the spell inscribed (a o -
level spell requires only i hour), an d
begins as soon as the spellbook i s
closed after the wizard first inscribe s
the spell . In addition, if the book i s
left in contact with another spellbook ,
the spells within the other tome begi n
to garble at the same rate, beginning
with the lowest-level spells first. Thi s
process is halted whenever the othe r
spellbook is moved away from the
spellbook of dissolution .
Moderate transmuta-
lion ; CL 7th ; Create
Wondrous Item, secret page ; Price 6,25 o
gp ; Weight 3 lb.
flLK9KK STflff
Made of ash or oak, this 6-foot-lon g
staff bears carvings of several kinds of '
animal tracks running its length, a s
well as other small decorations . On e
end has a hole drilled through it with
a loop of leather passing through th e
hole. A walking staff allows use of th e
fallowing spells:
• Freedom q f movement (i charge )
▪T,unjstri.dcr (r charge )
• Pass without trace (r charge)
• Find the path (z charges)
• Tree stride (z charges)
Recently, walking staffs began mani-
festing a dangerous and sometimes
fatal flaw. Ig or reasons even the wises t
and most experienced druids don't
understand, the forces of nature. hav e
taken a disagreeable view to the use o f
these items. Rumors hint that light-
ning sometimes strikes those druid s
who use these staffs too often . Fvery
time the staffs wielder uses one of th e
staffs spells, there is a 3% per charg e
cumulative chance that she is struc k
by a 5d6 lightning bolt originating jus t
above her head that strikes only her
(DC 14 Reflex save for half) . The chanc e
cannot exceed 95% .
Once a lightning
bolt strikes, the
druid's cumu -
lative chance
of haying
another one strike her is cut in hal f
(but it accumulates as normal). A
specific druid's cumulative
chance. of being struck whe n
using a walking staffremain s
with her, even if she shoul d
use a different walking staff:
For example, a druid use s
the staff's langstrider spel l
and has a 3% chance of
being immediately struck by
lightning. Assuming light-
ning doesn 't strike, whe n
she later uses the staffs
tree stride ability sh e
then has a 9% chance of
being struck (3% carrie d
over + 3% per charge of
tree stride) . If the druid
accumulates a 5r% chance
of being struck befor e
lightning strikes, he r
cumulative chance of being
struck drops to 25% . It. l.hen
begins to rise again whenever
she uses a walking staff, even
if it is a different one.
Strong varied; CL r2th ;
Craft Staff, f nd the path,
freedom of movement, long -
strider, pass without trace,
tree stride; Price 39,500 gp ;
Weight 4 lb . 0
H
idden amid the sun-scorched dunes of the mos t
forbidding desert lies a tainted barren of blac k
sand . From the withered heart of this lifeless wast e
rises a single structure, a black pyramid that radiates a n
eternal curse . Although no lore survives to tell what traged y
befell this accursed place, all things touched by its sand s
are irreversibly tainted and the unliving things that call i t
home are lit .! ]e more than half-seen nightmares . Thus, it 's
no surprise that the ancient. arcana pilfered from its depth s
bear not only powerfi]] secrets, but the laint of this land' s
forgotten curse .
The Spell Strips of the Black Pyramid harbor many formu -
la e. that draw upon thc power of the desert, but those wh o
use them risk the wrath of- ancient gods . Found scribe d
upon the wrappings of a mummy discovered deep withi n
thc pyramid, these spells have since been copied onto
actual parchment . Readers should be warned, however,
for these spells have brought woe upon all who come to
possess them. Little is known of the mage who first foun d
these spells . According to rumors, he died shortly a- R(7
returning to civili7ation . His apprentice, eager 1o carry o n
his master's work, copied the spells from the cloth strips
that originally bore them into actual tones and sold the m
to a number of Triages . Within a year, the apprentice disap -
peared. Similar mysterious fates befell numerous magc s
who purchased 'he scribed strips.
Presented here are the unique spells found within th e
rare tomes now known as Spell Strips of the Black Pyramid.
Spellcasters who come across one of these tomes gai n
great control over the powers of the. sand and sun, but not
without risking a tcrrible price (see the Curse of the Blac k
Pyramid sidebar).
C, . .L' s TE J#CITY
Transmutatio n
Level: Clr 4, Drd 3
Components : V, S, M
Casting Time: r standard action
Range : Touc h
Target : Creature or creatures touche d
(up to one/Level )
Duration: i day/3 level s
Saving Throw : Will negates (harmless )
Spell Resistance: Ye s
You grant the targets of this spell th e
ability to survive without food or water .
The targets gain sufficient interna l
reserves of nourishment to sustai n
them for as long as t his spell is in effect .
This spell does not protect targets from
the effects of magical dehydration (se e
Sandstorm for a complete description o f
the effects ofdchydration).
Material Component : A fistful o f
camel hair.
PESERY !3vtRIA1
Evocation
Level : Urd 4, Sor/Wia 4
Components : V, 5, M
Casting Time: r standard action
Range : Medium @rco if . + io ft ./level)
Target : ao-ff .-radius sprea d
Duration: Instantaneou s
Saving Throw : Reflex negate s
Spell Resistance: No
This sadistic spell draws those within
the area of effect down into th e
sand, leaving only the victims' head s
exposed for the sun and scavenger s
to wreak their harsh will upon . Crea-
tures within the area ()reflect -mus t
make a Reflex saving throw. Thos e
that fail are slacked into the ground .
For most living creatures this mean s
being buried up to their necks ,
though for some it might be a branc h
or pseudopod. Creatures are never
buried in a manner that prevent s
them from breathing .
Once a creature is buried by thi s
spell it is rendered helpless unless i t
can succeed at a Strength or Escap e
Artist check with a DC equal to a
-r i for every two caster levels yo u
possess . This check requires a full -
Long ago, a mortal wizard named Arzarran stole knowledge of these spell s
from the deities of the sun and desert . For this transgression, he was curse d
for eternity, as have been all other speilcasters who learn his secrets . Every
time an arcane caster uses one of these spells, there is a cumulative 1 %
chance that Arzarran's curse activates . This chance resets to 0% during th e
spring equinox ,
lithe curse comes into play, the caster faces a dire threat. The mumm y
of Arzarran, the same mummy from which the spell strips were first sto-
len, rises from the black pyramid and pursues the caster. This mummy i s
wrapped in ancient, black silks and wears a mantle of frayed cloth strip s
upon which every spell within Spell Strips of the Block Pyramid is scribed . Thi s
creature's CR should exceed the caster's level by at least 3, and it therefor e
probably has numerous class levels, probably in wizard or sorcerer . Whil e
the mummy or mummy lord presented on page 190 of the Monster Manua l
might suffice as Arzarran, the skirt or mummified creature template on pag e
111 of Libels Mortis make considerably more monstrous threats-ones obvi-
ously cursed by the gods . Additionally, higher-level parties might be bette r
challenged by the swarm-shifter template-and the CR 16 mummy kin g
presented with it as an example-on page 124 of Libris Mortis, or the dry lic h
template from chapter 6 of Sandstorm .
Once awakened by use of these accursed spells, this undead monste r
pursues its quarry until either it or its target is destroyed . The body of any -
one slain by Arzarran disappears a day later, leaving behind only a pile o f
black sand, the corpse carried away by the gods and mummified within th e
black pyramid .
round action. Spellcasters caught by Casting Time : i standard actio n
this spell cannot cast any spell with Range: Medium (too ft . +io ft. level)
a somatic component or a spell with Effect: Sand storm cylinder 6o-feet
a material component unless the across and 3o ft . high
spellcaster has the component : i n
hand when affected by this spell . A
creature not caught by the spell ca n
aid a trapped creature in its escap e
attempt .
This spell only affect s
loose earth, such as dirt ,
mud, and sand . It is inef-
fectual when cast upon stone ,
Wood, or other solid surfaces .
Particularly cruel spellcasters
often cast this spell upon thos e
wading through shallow waters ,
areas replete with tiny carnivo-
rous vermin, or as a precursor t o
the spell transmute mud to rock .
Material Component: A pape r
funnel and a handful of dirt, mud ,
or sand .
I'vsT STORM
Conjuration (Creation )
Level : Drd 3, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
 Copies of Spell Strips of the Slack Pyramid most commonl y
appear as weathered folios, their pages scribed in fade d
brown inks and with stylized images of the sun adornin g
their covers . Although these tomes are rare, at least eleve n
copies were originally created and more might have bee n
copied since then . However. every time the bearer of on e
of these tomes vanishes the spellhook goes missing a s
well, supposedly spirited away by the gods back to the
black pyramid . A copy of Spell Strips of the Black Pyramid,
holding only the new spells presented here, is worth 80 0
gold pieces, although this might be significantly lower if th e
buyer knows about the associated curse.
Those interested in further expanding their repertoire o f
desert magic ar who wish to unlock spells similar to thos e
found in S pell Strips of the Black Pyramid should conside r
the dozens of spells presented in chapter 5 of Sandstorm .

Clerk Spell s food or water . 4th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spell s

3rd-Level Cleric Spell s
Screen of Heat : Shimmerin g
illusion causes 25% miss chanc e
to all attacks through it .
4th-Level Cleric Spell s
Camel's Tenacity : Travel withou t
food or water.
5th-Level Cleric Spell s
Touch of the Pharaoh : Afflicts a
creature with mummy rot .
Druid Spell s
3rd-Level Druid Spell s
Camel's Tenacity : Travel without
Dust Storm : Create a blindin g
storm that deals 1o6 damage pe r
round .
Screen of Heat : Shimmerin g
illusion causes 25% miss chance
to all attacks through it .
4th-Level Druid Spel l
Desert Burial : Buries targets u p
to their necks in sand .
Sorcerer/Wizard Spell s
3rd-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spel l
Oust Storm : Create a blindin g
storm that deals ld6 damage pe r
round .
Desert Burial: Buries targets u p
to their necks in sand .
6th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spel l
Sand Spiral : Cone deals I d 6
damage per level, -2 penalty o n
attacks, checks, and saves .
7th-Level Sorcerer/Wizard Spel l
Crown of Despair: All creature s
that see you must save or b e
paralyzed .

Duration: r round/leve l Components : V, S, M Area: Cone-shaped burs t

Saving Throw : Non e
Spell Resistance: No
A howling windstorm appears
within the spell ' s area of effect, fill -
ing it with a dark bank of whirlin g
sand that obscures vision while
injuring those caught within it . The
sand obscures all sight, includin g
darkvision, beyond 5 feet. All target s
within 5 feel : are treated as havin g
concealment. (attacks have a zo %
miss chance) . Creatures farther awa y
have 1 :oI:al concealment (5o% mis s
chance, and the attacker can 't us e
sight to locate the target) .
If a creature ends its actio n
within the sand storm, it suffers ad d
points of slashing damage from th e
stinging sand .
()Row or 9fsrArR
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind -
Affecting]
I .eve_l: Sor ;'Wic 7
Casting Time: I standard actio n
Range: Personal
Target : Yo u
Duration : a round/leve l
Saving Throw : Will negate s
Spell Resistance: Ye s
Upon casting this spell your hea d
is crowned in ghostly black buria l
wrappings . All creatures that see yo u
must succeed at a Will save or b e
paralyzed for ado rounds . Whether a
creature succeeds at its save or not ,
that creature Cannot be affected b y
lhis casting of the spell again for it s
remaining duration .
Material Component : A scrap of a
mummy's burial linen.
54149 5nnR4L
Evocation
Level : Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V S, M
Casting Time : i standard actio n
Range : 6c f} .
Duration : Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half and Forti-
tude negates ; see text
Spell Resistance : N o
A swirling blast of the desert ' s ele-
ments assaults your opponents . Crea-
tures within the spell ' s area cough
and gag as the sand pours into their
mouths and noses, scratches thei r
eyes, and scours their flesh, dealing
JAG points of damage per caster leve l
(maximum. 15d6), Targets are allowe d
a Reflex save for half .
In addition, any creature withi n
the spell ' s area of effect must mak e
a Fortitude save or suffer a -z pen-
alty on all attacks, checks, and sav-
ing throws for 1 minute due to th e
painful, scaring sand . Creature s
immune to critical hits ignore thi s
penalty and take only half damage
from this spell (none if they mak e
their Reflex save) .
 Material Component: A fistful of san d
that the caster throws forward whil e
casting the spell .
SCREEN OF I-4EA+
Illusion (Glamer)
Level: Clr i, Drd 3
Components: S, D 1
Casting Time ; i standard action
Range : Medium (too ft . + io ft ./level )
Area : A screen of heat, up to io-fh
square/level.
Duration: : min,/level
Saving Throw: Non e
Spell Resistance : N o
You create a veil of shimmering hea t
that blurs and masks a creature's loca-
tion, similar to the effect that distort s
objects in the distance on a hot day.
The screen is less than an inch thic k
and is totally intangible .
You can make the screen's hazy illu-
sion either one-sided or two-sided . If
Valuate • by A.vrnn Wil3i
it. is one-sided, the illusion only affect s
those looking through the screen
from one direction, while those look-
ing through it from the other sid e
are unaffected by the illusion . If it is
two-sided, creatures that look through
the screen from either direction ar e
affected by the warping illusion.
Creatures who look through th e
screen of heat's illusion see images on
the other side as wavering, distorte d
shapes . This grants concealment to
any creature perceived through th e
illusion (7..o% miss chance) . A see invis-
ibility spell. does not counter the effect s
of this spell., although true seeing does.
Creatures that do not rely all sight to
perceive opponents sutler no penaltie s
when attacking through the screen .
lithe screen of heat 's illusion is only
one-sided, creatures on one side of th e
screen suffer a chance to miss, whil e
those on the other side may make
attacks without being afiec :l ed .
TOttc-} of- THE }' - 4RAnI4
Necromancy TA]
Level: Cl r •;
Components : V, S
Casting Time : i standard action
Range : Touc h
Target : Living creature touche d
Duration : Instantaneou s
Saving Throw : Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Ye s
The subject contracts mummy rot.
(dealing id6 Constitution and Id 6
Charisma damage), which strike s
immediately (no incubation period).
Targets affected by mummy rot can -
not be healed normally . Any characte r
afflicted by mummy rot cannot b e
affected by a conjuration (healing)
spell unless the caster of that spel l
succeeds at . a DC ao caster level check .
See page 191 of the Monster Mamuzl fi r
mummy rot's fhlf effects . 0
 f you'ra gamer who has always wanted to play with th e
I monsters instead of against them, The Spiderwick Chroni-
cles are for you . Written by fan-favorite D80..) artist 'ibn y
DiTerlizzi and long-Lime gainer Holly Black, this New Yor k
Times bestselling serial explores the world of fairies an d
the challenges inherent in facing stronger and sometime s
smarter monsters . Although targeted for younger readers,
these books arc sure to please any playful adventurer.
TEE WORLD OF TP1DfRW1( K
The Grace children of The Spideruuirk Chronicles live in a
fairy-in fested world . following their parent's divorce, Jared ,
Simon, and Mallory Grace move into a ramshackle Victorian .
house owned by their crazy-Aunt Lucinda . They have neve r
met : Lucinda, but judging by her house, it is no wonder she' s
been kept in a sanatorium for years, For Jared, age 9, th e
new home provides a chance to start over at a new school
after his troublemaking gets him kicked out of his previou s
one . Simon, his twin, thinks of all . the space he has to put. ne w
pets . Their older sister Mallory, 13, just sees how run down th e
place looks. She doesn't care too much though, because th e
lawn provides plenty of room to practice her fencing moves .
The house itself looks like "a dozen shacks had bee n
piled on top of one another." It even seems like small ani-
mals live inside, which Jared-often aware of what the oth-
ers would miss--notices when he sees what he thinks t o
be a squirrel running around in the walls . Simon instantly
wants to make it his new pet, while Mallory charges ahead
with a broom handle, knocking a hole in the wall and scar-
ing the creature up the shaft of the dumbwaiter . Scouting
where it could have gone, Jared finds himself in a boarded -
up library, closed for many, many years . As he explores, th e
cryptic words, " Click clack, watch your back , " propheticall y
appear in the room's dust. Returning to his siblings, he
tries to convince them that i t
wasn 't .just his imagination .
That attempt works as well a s
trying to convince their mom
they weren't causing trouble--
which is to say, not at. all.
Mrs. Grace, their mother,
becomes even less convince d
the kids weren't causing troubl e
when Mallory wakes up scream-
ing in the morning, her hai r
tied tightly to t :he headboard .
Mrs . Grace suspects that Jare d
must have done it, as lie ' s caused
problems ever since their father
left. Mallory and Simon realiz e
there might be another explana-
tion---that something lives i n
this house that' s neither cute nor
imaginary.
With nothing better to do,
Jared explores . Climbing di e
rotten stairs into the dusty atti c
he finds Arthur Spiderwick 's
Field Guide to the Fantastical Worl d
Around You, a handbook on fair-
ies that details many creature s
including one likely to be sharing
the Grace home, a house brownie. After
this, the kids discover that once the y
enter the world of fairy, they can neve r
truly back out . First, the goblins come ,
then the troll, the elves, the dwarves ,
and finally the worst monstrosity of
them all-the ogre Mulgarath-wh o
seeks to destroy the handbook and al l
who've seen it .
Tunic Imsp iRflTIo N
The Spiderwick Chronicles present several
themes useful in nearly any campaign.
ORDINARY HEROES
" Unlike Harry Potter, these
are ordinary kids in extraordi-
nary situations. The only way
they get out of them is wit h
their vets ." -Tony I7iTerlizzi
Fantasy characters commonly
come in two flavors, those
marked for greatness by
birth and those who achiev e
greatness through thei r
deeds . While both have their
merits, playing a PC who's
born lacking great wealth
or a predetermined destin y
most alien leads to greate r
roleplayb.ng challenges. It' s
the difference between hav-
ing a magic sword given to
you by a fairy godmothe r
versus earning one after
months of roleplaying. Bot h
versions are nice, but you' re
sure to remember the one
your PC earned. Becaus e
PCs without predetermine d
destinies must watch out fo r
themselves they force their players t o
took at more options and play mor e
carefully, leading to more chances fo r
surprising, more memorable games .
For instance, in Spiderwick the Grac e
kids hold very few magic items, instead

DerD fans remember Tony DiTer-
hizzi as the man responsible fo r
the innovative, surreal look of
the second edition PLANESCAS E
campagin setting . Since then ,
he's shifted to the plane of
children's literature, illustratin g
both his own writing and othe r
authors ' works, including th e
2003 Caldecott Honor winnin g
book, The Spider and the Fly .
He Hues in Amherst, Massachusetts with his wife, Angela ,
and pug, Goblin .
Co-author Holly Black ported from the gaming com-
munity 's d8 Magazine into young adult fiction . Tithe : A
Modern Facrie Tale, marked her entry into the world of
fairy. She also recently moved to Amherst, Massachusetts
with her husband, Theo.
Dragon caught up with Tony and Holly after they'd returne d
home from a whirlwind month-long national book tour fo r
their latest collaboration, The Spiderwick Chronicles .
You've been interested in fairies since forever, so ho w
did you finally start your own fairy chronicle ?
Tony : We had been given a note at a bookstore that Hol y
and I were signing at . The note told of real life adventure s
with faeries that these three siblings, the Grace children ,
had experienced . We found it so compelling that Holly and I
decided to hell their story in a series of books called The Spi-
derwick Chronicles .
Holly had written for ayaung adult audience, and m y
books were mostly picture books foryaunger readers . We
focused on creating a story for7-Jo year olds who were to o
young for Harry Potter but were older than kids reading pic-
ture hooks.
(Continued on page 77)
relying on their skills and resources at
hand. When they do defeat : a superior
monster, the reader can see they were
actually challenged rather than just fol-
lowing some rote plot point .
DMs setting up adventures for
similar ordinary heroes should limi t
magic and other powerful items, fig-
ure out multiple avenues to resolv e
conflicts, and let players create thei r
own unanticipated twists, even if tha t
means carrying the action into futur e
adventures . just like in reality, catch
the PCs unaware of encounters t o
cone . Think of Bilbo Baggins -bein g
rushed out the door without hi s
pocket-handkerchief:
Decay of the Natural Balanc e
in a real ecosystem, when one spe-
cies for some reason becomes mor e
successful, it : affects all the others,
upsetting the natural balance . In a
fantasy ecosystem, this tipping point
might stir changes in a hierarch y
of monsters and could easily start a
campaign . Traditional powers hold-
ing the monsters in check, like elve s
or more powerful monsters, migh t
begin to wane . PCs could start by solv-
ing small adventures that are really
just symptoms of the one underlyin g
cause . In Spiderwick, the kids need to
stop the environmental incursion of
the human lands to reverse the decay
of the fairy lands .
In a more traditional DY(D vein,
consider the felling of Europe 's great
forests during the Middle Ages . This
time of logging and clearing land fo r
farming fits into the medieval feel o f
many fantasy campaigns, and coul d
set up a similar situation to Spider -
wick's using any number of woodland
monsters . This creates more cons-
plications than PCs usually lace . For
instance, convincing people to sto p
felling trees would he difficult fir the
PCs, if not impossible . Perhaps onl y
compromises would work in the end.
Forbidden Knowledg e
The Field Guide to the Fantastical Worl d
Around You contains knowledge few
mortals know, and fairies kill to pre -
vent mortals from possessing it . Bein g
the work ofa human researcher,
Arthur Spiderwick, the guide i s
incomplete, sometimes obviously s o
to the detriment of its readers . 1)M s
using forbidden books might make
them filled with errors or even delib-
erately misleading. Such tomes o f
forbidden knowledge might extend
to gods, dragons, or any other major
power that' s not part of the PCs ' ` nor-
mal " world . Forbidden knowledg e
extends to more than just informa-
tion, but also to actions or the senses .
For example, in Spiderwick mortal s
should never taste fairy food lest they
never want to eat real food again . Th e
tale of Persephone eating pomegran-
ate seeds in the Underworld als o
serves as a classical example .
Came worlds might also contain
restricting elements that hide the truth .
PC=s and others (like Aunt . Lucinda in
Spiderwick) who do not believe in th e
widely held lies are ostracized, impris-
oned, or committed. Well-meanin g
clerics might try to cure such delusions ,
hiding contradictory evidence for th e
good of all . A conspiracy of kingdom -
manipulating spell casters, corrupt
religions or gods, or even the taint of
otherworldly influences such as angel ,
devils, or even the Far Realm (presente d
in DaeAcoh #33o), all make for excellent
widely hidden knowledge .
fRoM TIIf fMUUMUU . WORLD
BROOD YOU
According to Arthur Spiderwic k 's Fiel d
Guide to the Fantastical World Around
You, any number of unbelievable crea-
tures lurk and live just out of huma n
sight . Presented here is one of thos e
whimsical creatures, inspired by The
Spiderwick Chnmicles .
HOUSE BROWNIE
Tiny Fey
Hit Dice: id6 (3 hp )
Initiative: + 4
Speed : 3o ft . (6 squares), fly an ft .
(average )
Armor Class : 17 (+2 size, +4 Dex, + i
natural), touch 6, flat-fbot .ed 13
Base Attack/Grapple : +o f-i o
Attack: Tiny short sword +e mele e
(1 d3-2/i g- .-zo) or tiny short bow +6
ranged (id2.fx3)
Space/Reach: a-i,la ft,/o ft.
Special Attacks : Spell-like abilitie s
Special Qualities: Damage reductio n
5 /cold iron, low-light vision, spell
resistance ii
Saves : Fort +c, Ref +6, Will + 4
Abilities : Str 6, Dex 18, Con 71, Int: 14 ,
Wis Cha i4
Skills: Appraise +4, Bluff' +4, Fseap e
Artist +8, Handle Animal +4, T Tid e
+16, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledg e
(nature) +4, I..isl :en +4*, Move Silently
8 x, Open Tock+6, Spot +4*,'Iiarnble+ 6
Feats: Dodge
Environment: Marro house, manor,
temperate lorest .s
Organization: Solitar y
Challenge Rating : I
Treasure: No coins ; o% goods ; yo %
item s
Alignment: Always chaotic goo d
Advancement : 1-5 IID (Tiny )
Level Adjustment : + 4
This slender. you t yf rct humanoid stands
barely two hands tall, sporting batlike ears
and whiskers . His exaggerated proportion s
give him a cheerfrel hut ,go fy took .
Long ago, these fey- left their ancestra l
lands to dwell among humans an d
elves . Each house brownie chooses a
particular home, usually a rural build-
ing with large grounds, to serve as he r
home range . It shares this home with
common vermin like rats-some-
times keeping them as pets-and
the house' s larger residents . Ahous c
brownie rarely has any trouble with
her taller neighbors as long as these
humanoids treat her well and recog-
nize her as the boss . Ilouse brownie s
never tolerate others of their ow n
kind intruding within their homes .
While brownies keep their hous e
in order, "order" is a matter of th e
brownie ' s opinion . Maintaining wal l
passages, decorating hiding holes ,
and squirreling away food arc viewe d
as highly important activities . Whil e
they do not steal, they view all item s
in the house as theirs and move the m
around to their taste, becoming rathe r
surly if items are removed from thei r
"proper place ."
Averaging r foot tall and weighin g
less than 3 pounds, brownies dres s
their slight bodies in handmade
clothes cut from castoffs . Liv-
ing long lives, they might . lear n
many languages, dependent
on what languages are spoke n
nearby. 1- louse brownies ofte n
speak Common, Etven, Sylvan ,
and occasionally Dwarf Giant ,
Gnome, or Goblin .
(OH M
House brownies ar e
extremely weak combatant s
and avoid direct confronta-
tions although they ofte n
deliberately taunt large r
creatures . Brownies creat e
complex flight plans for us e
in their home territory a s
well as hiding holes alread y
worked out in case their mis-
chief goes awry.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will-
alter self, calm animals, detect magic, Skins: House brownies have a +6
open/close, pass without trace, prestidigita- bonus on Listen, Move Silently, an d
tion, speak with animal; 3/day-alarm, ani - Spot checks within the house they'v e
mate rope, charm animal (DC r3), dancin g adopted as their own . These bonuse s
lights, detect secret doors, entangle (DC 13), only fitnetion within one home that a
knock, locate object, mage hand. Caster level brownie has resided in for more than
5th. The save DCs are Charisma-based . 30 days .

Did any real life incident s
make it into the books ?
Holly: My husband was a n
inspiration for both Jared an d
Simon . He was always gettin g
in trouble in school plus [h e
has] an insane love of ani-
mals-he's brought home par-
rots, cats, lizards, snakes, an d
tots of tarantulas . And ! was
an older sister, so a lot of th e
mean-older sister stu f is based on me .
Has DSO influenced your writing ?
Holly: DrD has had this weird role in my life, I met my
husband through D O and l met Tony because l was work-
ing for d8 Magazine, so that was through gaming too. But
regarding writing-when I was a kid I was really into dolls
because I got to make up stories and share them with my
friends . When l discovered DetD, it was a way to continu e
making up stories in a way that wasn't considered juvenile.
That was a huge thing for me .
What other Spiderwick books and projects should we expect ?
Tony : Currently, I'm restoring the Field Guild with a scien-
tific approach and an Audubon look . i hope that my fans fro m
the gaming world will really like it. It's like a Monster Manua l
for the mainstream public !
There is talk of a possible sketchbook, in the meantime . This
spring we ' re releasing a small book that's more like an interac-
tive journal . (The Notebook for Fantastical Observations du e
out june 2005 .)
A Spidenuick movie is in the works. As co-executive pro-
ducers, when can we expect to see it ?
Tony : There 's talk of a may release date . I am trying not to
get too excited and I take it all with a grain of salt . We me t
with the director, Mark Waters [Freaky Friday, Mean Girls ;
who wants to try and keep the script very close to the books .
Brent Forrester (the screenwriter is a W.B. Yeats fan, so [he]
really gets the folklore. My fingers are crossed !
DRArnrv would like to thank both Tony and Holy for takin g
the time to talk with us and wishes them all the best with thei r
upcoming projects .
Can an antimagicfeld be detected by
detect magic?
No . By definition, magical effects
ca n't function within an antimagicfield .
Since detect magic 's effect would have
to extend into the antimarlir:field i n
order to detect it, the antimurjic field
can't. be detected by detect magic.
Is it possible for detect magic to locat e
an invisible creature ?
Yes, although not very efficiently .
Remember that detect magic reveal s
the location of magical auras over th e
course of three rounds . A creature
rendered invisible by a spell or magi -
cal effect could be located via detec t
magic, but only after three round s
of concentration . Furthermore, th e
invisible creature must remain withi n
the spell' s area for the entire thre e
rounds of conccntratin ; if the crea-
ture moves out of the area, the process
must start again from the beginning .
However, even ifevery thing work s
according to plan, you still don 't nec-
essarily know that you 've Ibund a n
invisible creature-at best, the caste r
of detect magic would know that he ha d
located a faint aura of illusion magi c
in a particular space .
Can you use detect magic to detect
supernatural effects? For example, ca n
it detect a wildshaped druid ?
Supernatural abilities are magical ,
and thus their effects would produc e
magical auras . Although the detec t
magic spell doesn't have a line entry
for supernatural effect, you can use
the same line as " Magic item (caste r
level)"-a supernatural effect 's caste r
level is equal to the creature 's -fli t
Dice unless noled otherwise (Monste r
Manual, page 31 5) .
What kind of damage does a slashing
wooden weapon (such as a longswor d
crafted with the ironwood spell) deal
if I cast brambles (Complete Divine,
page 156) on it? What about a piercin g
wooden weapon ?
The brambles spell descriptio n
assumes that the spell is being cast o n
a bludgeoning weapon (all exampl e
weapons are bludgeoning), so when i t
says the weapon deals both piercin g
and bludgeoning damage " it mean s
that the weapon' s damage is no w
treated as piercing damage in additio n
to its normal type of damage .
However, the spell earl be cas t
on any wooden weapon, not just a
bludgeoning weapon. A slashing
weapon that gained this effect woul d
deal slashing and piercing damage. A
piercing weapon that gained this effect
would only deal piercing damage .
Do the bonuses granted by brambles
and spikes (Complete Divine, page 156
and page 181) stack?
No and yes . The two spells each
grant an enhancement bonus o n
attack rolls, and thus only the highe r
enhancement bonus (that grante d
by spikes) would apply . l lowever, th e
damage bonus granted by each spel l
is untyped and would therefore stac k
with each other.
The entangle spell allows for DMs to
alter the effect of the spell based on the
nature of the entangling plants. Exactly
what sorts of effects can the DM create?
What are the limits of these changes?
What sorts of plants or terrain would
cause these kinds of effects ?
Page 8 of the DL'ercEou MASYFT2 ' .S
Guide talks about adjudicating situa-
tions that aren't . explicitly covered b y
the rules : "When in doubt, remember
this handy little rule : Favorable con-
ditions add +2 on any deo roll, an d
unfavorable conditions penalize th e
roll by-2 . "
The " DM ' s best friend" can easily be
applied to this situation . Are the plants
in the area particularly scarce or frail ?
Grant a bonus on saves to resis t
+2
the spell and a +2 bonus on check s
to escape it . Ts the area filled with so
many dangling vines and branches tha t
the characters have to hack throug h
it just to move? Apply a -e penalty o n
such saves and checks . It 's probably no t
worth the DM 's time to worry about
more complex alterations-anythin g
much more detailed may well merit.
an entirely different spell be created to
manifest such effects .
is a Balance check required to stan d
up while prone in the area of a grease
spell? What about to perform othe r
move actions?
No and no .
Would casting detect magic be con-
sidered an attack for the purpose o f
ending an invisibility spell?
 The invisibility spell states that . "firs purposes of the spell, an
attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effec t
includes afire." [Emphasis added .] Detect magic and similar spell s
have an area, so if this area included a foe, it would count as a n
"attack" fbr this purpose .

Would an invisible character counterspelling an enemy' s spell

count as making an attack and thus end the invisibility? Wha t
about a targeted dispel magic?
According to page 150 of the Playe r 's Handbook, " to use a coun-
terspell, you must select an opponent as the target of a counter -
spell ." Thus, by definition, this falls into the category of spell s
" targeting a foe," so a counterspell would end the invisibility .
Likewise, a dispel magic targeted on a foe is a spell "targetin g
a fine," so it would end the invisibility .

Does casting flaming sphere in a non-offensive manner-such

as to start a campfires count as an attack for purposes of end-
ing an invisibility spell ?
No . As stated in the description oft he invisibility spell ,
actions directed al unal.I ended objects do not break th e
spell . You could use flaming sphere to hum down a whole
village and it would n ' t end an invisibility spell, even if the
ensuing blaze included ides in its area (since that woul d
fall into Ilse category of causing haTm indirectly) . (O f
course, the Sage does not condone such reckless activity . )

Does casting sanctuary end an invisibility spell because i t

requires a foe to resist its effect with a saving throw? What
about wall rffire ?
No . Any spell that only causes harm indirectly {includin g
causing harm due to another creature ' s actions, such as sanctu-
ary) is not an attack, even if - its effects can be resisted with a

saving throw.
Other spells that, can fall into this category include fire tra p
(since its harrnfirl ell'ect is triggered by a character openin g
the trapped item), spike stones (since its harmful effec t
is triggered by a character walking over it), and wall of
fire (since its harmful effect is triggered by a characte r
approaching within ao feet) .
Of course, even some of these spells may he able to be cas t
in such a way as to end an invisibility spell . If wall offire is cast
within ao feet of mother creature, it immediately and directl y=
causes harm to that creature, which would end invisibility .

Do the cleaning and dirtying effects ofprestidigita-

tion remain in effect after the spell ' s duration ends? In
other words, if T use prestidigitation to clean dirt off
my clothes, do my clothes remain clean when the spell
ends, or do they magically become dirty again ?
As stated in the spell 's description, "Any actual
change. to an object {beyond just moving . cleaning, o r
soiling it) persists only a hour, " Thus, the effects liste d
within the parentheses remain beyond the spell ' s nor-
mal duration .
 Can you ride your own Tenser's
. flouting disk?
No . While you could comman d
your Tenser 's floating disk to move clos e
enough for you to sit . upon it, it has n o
ability to move under its own power .
Itcan only follow you at a rna_ximu m
rate equal to your normal speed .
If a spell that targets a creature (suc h
as causefear) is tied to the area of a n
onhallow spell, does it target creature s
inside the area every round, or onl y
when they enter the area?
A spell tied to ienhallow picks it s
targets only when they enter the area ,
not : every round they remain within .
in the case of cause fear, each creatur e
entering the area with fewer than 6
Hit Dice would be required to attempt
a Will save against the effect, but onc e
within the area would not be require d
to save against the effect again . If a
creature left the area and returne d
later, the spell would be effectivel y
" cast" again, targeting that creatur e
once again .
Spells that don 't have targets (suc h
as invisibility purge) simply apply thei r
effects continuously within the are a
of the unhalloiv spell . A character wh o
turned invisible after entering a n
unhallowed area with invisibility purg e
tied to the area would instantly b e
rendered visible by the purging effect.
Does the bonus to caster level fro m
the Practiced Spellcaster feat (fro m
Complete Arcane and Complete Divine)
apply before or after other caster level
bonuses (such as those from the Goo d
or Healing domains) ?
The bonus Eton Practiced Spell -
caster applies whenever it would b e
most beneficial to the caster . A 4th -
level cleric/4th-level fighter with th e
Healing domain and Practiced Spell -
caster would cast conjuration (healing )
spells as a 9th-level caster (base caste r
level 4th, +4 from Practiced Spell -
caster, +1 from the Healing domain) .
A 4th-level cieric14ih-level. rogue with
Practiced Spellcaster who activates a
head q[ 'karrria (from a strand o [praye r
heads) would cast his spells as a tath-
level caster (base 4, +4 from Practice d
Spellcaster, +4 from head ofkarma).
How does Practiced Spellcaster inter -
act with the wild magic class feature o f
the wild mage (from Complete Arcane) ?
The -q penalty and +rd6 bonus t o
the wild mage 's caster level are applie d
as a single step in the process of deter -
mining the wild mage 's caster level .
Since Practiced Spellcaster' s bonus i s
always applied when it is most ben-
eficial to the character (see previou s
answer), a wild mage with Practice d
Spellcaster would typically apply th e
wild magic class feature first (sub-
tracting3 and adding id6 to her caste r
level) and then add the Practiced Spell-
caster benefit, up to a maximum value
equal to her character level .
For example, if a 5th-level wizard/4th-
level wild mage with Practiced Spell-
caster rolled a i on the -1E16 bonus to he r
caster level, her caster level for that spell
would be gtli (base 9th,-3 from wil d
magic penalty, . i from wild magic bonus ,
+4 from Practiced Spellcaster up to a
maximum equal to her character level) .
Tf she rolled a 6, her caster level would
he izih (base 9th, 3 from wild magi c
penalty, +6 from wild magic bonus ; th e
Practiced Spellcaster bonus would no t
apply since it would increase her caste r
level above her character level) .
On the other hand, imagine a
wild mage whose caster level (before
applying the ellects of the wild magi c
class feature) is less than her character
level, such as a wild mage with level s
of rogue or other non-spcllcasting
class . She might well choose to appl y
the Practiced Spellcaster bonus first ,
before applying the wild magic modi-
fiers . A rogue 4/wizard 5/wild mag e
4 would have a base caster level o f
9th before any other modifiers are
applied . Adding Practiced Spellcaster 's
bonus would increase this to 1311, at
which point the penalty and bonu s
from wild magic would be applied .
The Sage recommends that players
averse to frequently recalculatin g
caster level avoid playing a character
with this combination, as it is likely t o
cause headaches .
 barbarian's choice of tools and weapon s
says a lot about his background, tradi-
ft tions, and beliefs. His handmade an d
often crude equipment can evoke a provoca-
tive image, such as the stoic savage of nobl e
bearing, the inventive Stone Age hunter, o r
the stubborn traditionalist who eschews th e
use of modern tools to honor the old ways .
Using primitive weapons helps you peel
away the layers oFcivilization and reveal you r
barbarian 's more primal nature . A barbaria n
can give up proficiency with all metal martial
weapons in order to gain proficiency wit h
these weapons .
Atlatl : This tool, a flexible wooden stick
about 2 feet long, enables a stone-tippe d
dart to fly a greater distance and to strik e
for greater damage . It is the barbarian's firs t
choice against creatures cif- size Large or
greater, and some attribute its nearly universa l
use among prehistoric peoples as a factor i n
the hunting of the great mammals to extinc-
tion. The atlatl shaft is sometimes decorated
with elaborate carvings .
The atlatl usually has a small stone attache d
to the shaft that acts as a counterweight . Th e
projectile is either a stone-tipped dart or a
stone-tipped javelin . The dart's butt is placed
in a hooked groove at the end of the atlatl . The
thrower snaps his forearm forward, launching
the dart. A character trying to use the atlatl
without proficiency suffers a -2 penalty o n
attack rolls in addition to the normal-4 non-
proficiency penalty.
Hunting Boomerang : Similar in shape t o
the boomerang from page 155 o f - the Complet e
Warrior, this weapon does not return to th e
thrower, has slightly greater range, and deals
lethal damage.
Microlith Barbed Longspear: Microlith s
are small triangular-shaped stones with shar p
edges wedged into the shaft ofa spear jus t
beneath the tip. This effectively creates a ser-
rated edge, causing more damage than th e
normal longspear. A rnicro]ith barbed long -
spear has reach . You can strike opponenls i s
feet away with it, but you can't use it against a n
adjacent foe .
Stone Celt : This L-shaped wood club has a
stone head attached, making it the forerunne r
of the heavy mare .
Stone Handaxe: This stone has a chippe d
edge for cutting that fits into the palm . War-
riors carry stone handaxes for sentimental
or superstitious reasons even after flint-edg e
knives and steel daggers have made the m
obsolete . Upon passing an initiation int o
adulthood, a young man receives a stone hand -
axe from a village elder. The ceremonial first
cut after a kill is usually done with a ston e
hand axe to emphasize the hunter 's bonds to
community and nature . 0

Range
Exotic Weapons Cost* Dmg (5) Dmg (M) Critical Increment Weight Typ e
Light Melee Weapo n
Stone handaxe 5 sp ld4 1d6 x2 2 lb. Slashin g
One-Handed Melee Weapo n
Stone celt S sp ld6 1d8 19-20/x2 - 10 lb . Bludgeonin g
Two-Handed Mefee Weapo n
Microlith barbed longspear 5 gp 1d8 1d10 x3 - 9 lb. Piercin g
Ranged Weapon s
Atlatl 4 gp - - - - 2 lb . -
Atlatl dart 5 sp ld4 ld6 19-20/x2 80 ft . 1/2 lb. Piercin g
Atlatl javelin 1 gp ld6 1 .d8 x3 120 ft . 1/2 lb. Piercin g
Hunting boomerang 15 gp 1d4 ld6 x2 25 ft . 2 lb . Bludgeonin g
*The cost is provided for the purpose of creating the items using the Craft (weaponsmithing)
skill . They are rarely available far purchase in any settlement larger than a village .
 he bard has a talent for a lot of differen t
T abilities . While a bard is good in man y
areas, he masters few. By taking levels i n
a second class, you can improve your bard 's
abilities in one area with only minor draw -
backs in others .
Generally speaking, the hard mull iclasse s
best with other classes that thrive using ligh t
armor. Unless you want to give up your spell -
casting ability, you should avoid classes that.
rely on heavy armor. The bard makes a poo r
match with other spellcasting classes, as you
end up with two sets of spells than might h e
too weak to have an effect on an encounter.
As a bard, you gain your highest-leve l
spells at 16th level . If you plan on using you r
character up to zoth level, that gives yo u
four levels to devote to other classes withou t
losing access to your mightiest spells .
Barbarian: As is the case for most charac-
ters who rely on light armor, the barbarian
class turns your bard into an effective com-
batant . The extra speed you gain allows you
to cast your spells, especially cures, where
they 're needed most . The barbarian 's rage
temporarily !urns you into a potent fighter ,
although while raging you cannot use magi c
or your bardic music: abilities . Save it for after
you have fortified the party with your spells
and bardic music .
Cleric: This class offers little that the bard
doesn't already have . Cure light wounds i s
already on the bard spell list, and you nee d
plenty of cleric levels to turn undead that ar e
an appropriate challenge for your ICI: el .
Druid: In many ways, the druid's strength s
run counter to the bard's ahili€ies .You canno t
use bardic music while in animal firm an d
taking levels in two spellcasting classes leave s
you with two sets of weak spells rather than
one strong selection .
Fighter : The fighter class is an excellent wa y
to turn a bard into a martial character. Th e
bonus feats it offers can improve your mastery
over a weapon, helping to make up for your
merely average base. attack progression . If you .
focus on archery, feats such as Rapid Shot and
Precise Shot can spell the difference betwee n
a mediocre ranged attacker and an effectiv e
one . Since bards have poor hit points and gen-
erally low Armor Class, ranged weapons giv e
you a great. way to contribute in battle . If you
wish to engage in melee, you should consider
Spring Al lack to mask your poor Armor Clas s
and low hit. points. Weapon Focus and Weapo n
Specialization can also turn puny attacks int o
devastating ones.
Monk and Paladin : Since bards cannot b e
lawful, they cannot take these classes .
Ranger: This class is a good choice if yo u
want to improve your fighting talents whil e
preserving your spread of skills . The ranger
earns just as many skill ranks as the bard,
allowing you to keep skills such as Bluff ;
Diplomacy, and Perform rnaxed out . Th e
combat styles and favored enemies abilitie s
improve your fighting ability, particularly th e
archery option . However, the two levels o f
ranger needed to gain a combat style woul d
net you two feats ifyou went into fighter .
Ranger becomes the better choice if you wis h
to avoid the fighter's poor skill ranks or if th e
party needs access to Track and Survival .
Rogue: Perhaps the most effective combina -
tion with the bard class, multiclassing int o
rogue makes you a vastly superior supportin g
fighter while preserving your spread of skills .
This class offers dcthnsivc abilities such a s
evasion and uncanny dodge that help mak e
up for your light armor and low hit points .
The ability to sneak attack can turn your blows
into crippling strikes, particularly ifthe party
already has a fighter, barbarian, or paladin wh o
shoulders most of the melee combat duty .
Sorcerer and Wizard : Unless you aim t o
enter a specific prestige class that require s
levels in bard and sorcerer or wizard, avoi d
this combination .
 oly symbols don't have to be stereotypi-
H cal amulets on a chain. Temples can craft
them in unusual shapes out of exoti c
materials, and some might even grant mino r
bonuses to worshipers . The following holy
symbols are particularly appropriate for cler-
ics devoted to a philosophical concept rathe r
than a particular deity, but any cleric who pos-
sesses the correct domain can use them.
While each of these symbols grants a mino r
bonus to a character, they are not magic item s
and do not take up a slot. To gain the benefit
of the item, the user must be a cleric with th e
domain the symbol is tied to as one of his
chosen domains . All the holy symbols pre-
sented here cost ioo gp .
For more specialized holy symbols se e
" Tokens of Faith " in DRAGON *327 and
" Tokens of Faith I I " in DRAGON #329 . You can
order them at paizo.com/backissues .
Animal: Four finger holes in this thin
piece of wood allow the cleric to wear i t
over his knuckles . The smooth and polishe d
wood supports four small claws jutting out
over the cleric 's fingers when he wears th e
item. The symbol is sometimes decorate d
with feathers, beads, or etchings of animals .
Wearing this symbol allows the cleric to us e
his domain 's speak with animals spell-like
ability at +1 caster level.
Earth: This stone cuisse is cunningly
carved to be thin and light yet durable . It is
an oval-shaped plate 3 to to inches long wit h
a rough exterior surface . Threads of gold an d
silver wink from the folds of rock, and tin y
gems no bigger than a pinhead stud the sur-
face irregularly. The cleric straps the cuisse to
his thigh and while wearing it gains a +1 cir-
cumstance bonus on Strength checks mad e
to resist a trip attempt.
Evil : This symbol takes the form of a hoo d
of any color or material . The lining, however,
is always of fine black silk. When folded back,
the edge of the hood reveals a band of silve r
runes and one large, bone-white symbol posi-
tioned over the cleric 's brow. The cleric wh o
wears this hood gains a +i profane bonus o n
Knowledge (the planes) checks when dealing
with good outsiders .
Law : Dozens of tiny rings made from differ-
ent types of precious metal form this symbol .
'The rings link together intricately to form a
downward-pointing triangle . A leather col-
lar the cleric wears around his neck attache s
to the top edge of the triangle . The wearer o f
this symbol gains a +i circumstance bonus o n
saving throws made to resist spells with th e
compulsion subtype .
Luck: This thin belt is made of man y
small squares of colorful fabric sewn onto a
leather backing. The patchwork belt usuall y
has symbols for fortune or for a particula r
deity known for luck worked into its pattern ,
and the cleric fastens it with a bright golde n
buckle . Once per day, the belt 's wearer may
reroll a percentile die roll made to stabilize.
Protection : A cleric can wear this two-
inch-long badge in one of three places : on
a collar around his neck with the badg e
against his throat, on a band around hi s
wrist with the badge against the vein, o r
pinned over his heart . The shield-shape d
badge is made of polished cherry-red wood.
The cleric who wears this badge gains a +1
circumstance bonus on his attack roll whe n
using the aid another action to grant an all y
an Armor Class bonus .
Trickery: One side of this large, squar e
piece of cloth is ordinary gray cotton ,
while the other side is brilliantly-colore d
silk (usually crimson or emerald green) . A
cleric can wear the cloth around his nec k
as a scarf, on his head as a kerchief, in hi s
pocket as a handkerchief, around a limb a s
a bandage, or any of a dozen other ways . A
cleric who uses the cloth as part of a dis-
guise gains a +1 circumstance bonus on hi s
Disguise check.
Issue Domains Covere d
327 Chaos, Destruction, Fire, Healing ,
Knowledge, Magic, Trave l
329 Air, Death, Good, Plant, Strength ,
Sun, War, Wate r
331 Animal, Earth, Evil, Law, Luck ,
Protection, Trickery
 raditionally, dnrids are thought of as for-
T est-dwelling folk, an assumption reflecte d
by their weapon proficiencies . However,
what if your druid comes from a vast des-
ert or from near a metropolitan area?'1'h e
following lists provide alternative weapo n
proficiencies designed with such campaign s
in mind . A character using an alternativ e
weapon list is proficient with all weapons o n
the list instead of those in which druids com-
monly have proficiency. Check out Fro.sthurn,
Sandstorm, and Stormivrack for more environ -
ment-based weaponry.
flouflTlcloflSTfl1
Druids from coastland or aquatic areas are
more adept at using piercing weapons such
as spears and tridents, as locals often us e
those tools fin spearing fish and find the m
easier to wield underwater. Druids fro m
coast land or aquatic areas are proficient with
the club (often fashioned from driftwood),
dagger, dart, longspear, net, quarterstaff,
sling, spear, shortspear, and trident .
fRGI(ITuHDR B
The frozen ]ands are brutal and unforgiving ,
and all but druids and most hearty of soul s
find themselves at odds with this environ-
ment's harsh nature . Druids hailing fro m
this region learn to use weapons that mimic
the land's deadly and unforgiving nature o r
those easily found or crafted in an environ-
ment miserlike with its raw materials . Arctic
druids are proficient with the club, dag-
ger, handaxe, light pick (those living in th e
arctic rely on ice picks when climbing hill s
or mountains), morningstar, quarterstaff ;
scythe, sickle, sling, spear, and throwing axe .
D fRTIwf1STElnHD
Wood, a scarce commodity in deserts and waste -
lands, rarely finds use in weapons used by druid s
hailing from such regions . As such, the desert
druid lacks proficiency in many of the mainstay s
of druid weaponry (such as the club and quarter -
staff). Because people living in the desert mus t
adapt to severe conditions, desert druids learn t .o
use several relatively exotic weapons . Desert dru-
ids are proficient in the falchi.on, javelin, kukri ,
scimitar, shortspear, sling, spear, and whip .
GRf1SSLHH DISfYRHHo H
Grasslands and savannahs are vast, ope n
spaces, harboring few places to hide when
danger rears its head . Thus, druids who live
in such areas learn to use more ranged Weap-
ons than traditional druids, allowing the m
to strike out at great distance . Druids of the
grassland and savannah know how to us e
bolas, the javelin, lungspear, scythe (long use d
as an implement for cutting grass and hay),
shorthnw, shortspear, sickle, sling, and spear .
M4uHTf l K
Druids from mountainous regions have a
reputation for being more warlike and bar-
baric than their other brethren and thus ar e
proficient with a more deadly array ofweap-
onry. Some of their weapons double as .tool s
used for mining. Many, if not most, dwarve n
druids can make use of this weapon pro-
ficiency list. Mountain druids have pro-
ficiency with the battleaxe, club, dagger,
handaxe, heavy pick, light pick, quarterstaCf,
sling, and warhammer.
Sf1BTfRRR11fliNIh D[RDRR1(
Few subterranean inhabitants choose th e
druidic path, but those who do recogniz e
nature 's splendor even in the deepest depth s
below the surface . Their weapon profie :icn-
cies reflect the often tight and confinin g
quarters of subterranean regions . Subter-
ranean druids have proficiency in the club ,
dagger, heavy pick, light pick (also useful fo r
digging through earth and stone), shortspear ,
shortsword, sling, and whip. w
 fighters can make important contributions
f to a naval voyage. . . -most notably as marine s
capable ofde fending the vessel from pirate s
and sca monsters . Over time, these marines
have developed a number of items specifically
for use when battling on the open seas .
Battle Rattle : These items consist of a hol-
low piece of wood containing a reed attache d
to a handle with a gear that raps against th e
reed when spun. Playing the battle rattl e
helps inspire the crew . conferring upon all
allies within 3o feet a +r morale bonus on an y
one skill check or attack roll made withi n
the next round . It is effective only once per
encounter, and it has no effect oustide o f
combat . A character usingbardic music an d
a battle rattle in conjunction with the Inspir e
Courage ability increases the morale bonus
granted by +i .
Faint enchantment ; CL 5th ; Craft Wondrou s
Item, heroism ; Price 3,000 gp ; Weight i lb .
Captain Rogers's Battle Rattle: This magi-
cally enhanced wood instrument summons
the crew to battle stations by making a repeti-
tive clacking sound when the head is swivele d
around the handle . Captain Rogers 's battle rattle
grants all bonuses of a normal battle rattle .
Once per day, Captain Roger s 's battle rattle ca n
be used to also protect all allies within 3o fee t
with a protection f iiom. arrows spell . Once acti-
vated, this effect lasts for 7 hours or until 70
points of damage have been prevented .
Fault abjuration ; CT . 3rd ; Craft Wondrou s
Items, protectio n, from arrows ; Price a ,i oo gp;
Weight r lb .
Corvus: This 15- to xo-foot-long plank ha s
iron spikes affixed to one end and is held in an
upright position on the main deck. When an
opposing ship is close enough the crew cut s
loose the corvus, which swings down onto the
other ship's deck . The plank enables boarder s
to traverse the space between ships more easily,
requiring only a DC 5 Balance check to do so.
Dragon's Teeth: Also called " skeggs, " thi s
row of iron spikes affixes to the prow of a
small raiding ship, such as a longboat . When
the ship rams another, the dragon ' s teet h
dig into the wood of the other ship, holdin g
the two ships together and making boarding
easier. It takes three DC 23 Strength check s
made with crowbars to disengage .
Drogue: The drogue is a float, usually a
scaled wood drum or an inflated seal ski n
attached half way along a harpoon ' s 3c-f6ot .
line (see slats for tlie harpoon in the Arms ari d
Equipment Guide). IL work s .just like a bobber
on a fishing line, preventing a creature fro m
diving deep. Instead of the creature makin g
an opposed Strength check against the per -
son holding the harpoon lint, it must make a
DC ao Strength check against the float . Eac h
additional. drogue adds +5 to the Strength DC .
Every Strength check (whether it fails or suc-
ceeds) requires a Constitution check (DC to +
I per previous check) . After a failed Constitu-
tion check the creature becomes fatigued .
Fire Bucket: When held by its rough rop e
handle, this plain-looking wood bucke t
scaled with pitch magically fills with 3 gal-
lons of fresh water. It takes one round to
completely fill. 'Phis item not only helps fight .
fires, but it saves space otherwise devoted t o
storing fresh water on long voyages .
Faint conjuration; CL 3rd ; Chill Wondrou s
Tt :erns, create water; Price 3,000 gp ; Weight -i lb.
Stink Pot: This noxious grenade is mad e
by stuffing salt peter, sulfur, a type of gu m
resin called asafetida, and decayed fish into
earthenware jugs . Using the stink pot require s
lighting the oxtail wick and hurling it dow n
onto the opposing ship from the main-tre e
(a stand on the main mast) . Inhaling the foul
mixture forces everyone within ro feet o f
where it lands to make a DC 15 Fortitude save
or become sickened for i d,1 minutes .
Item Cost Weigh t
Battle rattle 3,000 gp 1 lb .
Captain Rogers's 14,100 gp 1 lb .
battle rattle
Corvus 10 gp 60 lb.
Dragon's Teeth 100 gp 200 lb .
Drogue I. gp 2 lb .
Fire bucket 3,000 gp 2 lb .
( ern Ph')
Stink pot 35 gp 30 lb .
 he Order ofthe Sidewinder, a small an d for every four levels thereafter.'1'hc fangs

T controversial order, is among the world 's

strangest and least understood monastic
organizations. Called sidewinder monks, thos e
remain for a number of rounds equal to 1 +
Constitution. bonus (minimum once) . Thi s
attack is made at her highest attack bonus . If
of this order imitate the attitudes of the decep- made with a flurry of blows, the bite attac k
tive snake from which they take their name . and all other flurry attacks suffer a -z penalty .
At 15th level the sidewinder monk may ,
GBHE Rut€ INFORMITIO N once per day, use her bite attack to instantl y
The sidewinder monk is a variant monk. Unles s slay a living creature. The target of this attack
otherwise noted, a sidewinder monk advances i n must make a Fortitude save (DC ro + a/a side-
die same mariner as a monk (same I lit Die, bas e winder monk levels + Constitution modifier)
attack bonus, saving throw bonuses, skill points , or die. This is a poison attack.
and so on). When a character elects to take a leve l Intimidating Stance (Ex) : By imitating the
of -monk or sidewinder monk, she may not later attitude and demeanor of a sidewinder, the
take levels in the other class . sidewinder monk gains a +4 competenc e
Bonus Feat : At 1st level, a sidewinder mon k bonus on all lntirnida e. checks . This bonu s
may select either Persuasive or Stealthy as a improves to +6 when using her fang ability.
bonus feat. At and level, she may take either
improved Feint or Mobility. At 6th level ,
she may choose either Improved Disarm o r
Improved Trip . She need not have any of the Level Specia l
prerequisites normally required for these 1st Bonus feat, flurry of blows ,
feats to select . them . unarmed strike
Silver Tongue (Ex): From and level, the side- 2nd Bonus feat, evasion, silver tongu e
winder monk masters deception. Using fals e 3rd Fast movement, sneak attack +1d 6
promises, empty threats, and personal magnet - 4th Earthbound, fangs 1/da y
ism, the monk gains a +r competence bonus on 5th Ki strike (magic )
all Bluff checks . This bonus increases by +1 at 4th 6th Bonus feat, sneak attack +2d 6
level and every even numbered level thereafter. 7th Wholeness of bod y
Earthbound (Ex): The sidewinder mon k 8th Fangs 2/day, intimidating stance
develops an innate connection with the earth , 9th Improved evasion, sneak attac k
granting her a +4 competence bonus o n +3d 6
opposed Strength checks made to resist bul l 10th ICs strike (lawful )
rush or overrun attempts. 11th Diamond body, greater flurr y
Sneak Attack (Ex) : At 3rd level the side - 12th Fangs 3/day, sneak attack +4d 6
winder monk gains the ability to snea k 13th Diamond sou l
attack, as the rogue ability . Her bonus dam - 14t h
age increases every three levels thereafte r 15th Fangs (death), sneak attack +5d 6
(+ad6 at. 6th, +3d6 at 9th, and so on). 16th Fangs 1/day, ki strike (adamantine )
Fangs (Su) : A 4th-level sidewinder mon k 17th Timeless body, tongue of the su n
can grow fangs and gain a bite attack tha t and moo n
deals rd4 points of piercing damage (ad3 fo r 18th Sneak attack +6d 6
Small monks) . She can grow her fangs once 19t h
per day at 4th level and one additional time 20th Fangs 5/day, perfect self
 paladin may find herself - in need of spe-
cialized equipment when perfhrmin g
fi her duties or venturing on quests. Mem-
bers of other character classes also find thi s
equipment useful, but a paladin only share s
such items with worthy comrades. Items tha t
enhance or add to a weapon or piece of armo r
can only be applied to masterwork or magica l
weapons or armor .
Barding, Elvenera$: Elven knights of Corel-
lon Larethian favor fast, graceficl ponies and
chargers as their steeds . The elves develope d
appropriately light., supple barding for their
special mounts, and they sometimes pass o n
the technique to worthy knights of other races .
Elvencrafl barding costs 150 gp more than
regular masterwork balding. The rider of a
mount wearing elvencrafi barding gains a + 2
circumstance bonus on Ride checks whe n
coaxing her mount to make a leap. Elven craft
y arding weighs 5 pounds less than regula r
barding (to a minimum of ; lb.). Removing
and fitting elvencraft barding only takes thre e
times as long as it . would take to remove o r
don regular armor, instead of- five times .
Cartulary : Some paladins find it comfortin g
to have their code of honor recorded in physi-
cal form. A cartulary is a bound book ofinspi-
rational religious texts, church documents ,
and prayers . It is not a complete scriptur e
such as the prayer books clerics might carry,
but a more personal document that illustrate s
and reinforces the tenets of the paladin ' s code .
A paladin sometimes carries multiple cartu-
laries so she can hand oul copies to souls i n
need of guidance .
Engraved Pommel: Warriors decorate their
weapons for many reasons, but paladins ofte n
do so as a sign of piety and faith, dedicatin g
their weapons to their deitie s ' service . Engraving
the pommel of her weapon with sacred iconog-
raphy also infuses it with a small bit of divinity .
A weapon with an engraved pommel deals +I
point of damage when used to make a success-
ful smite attack. If her weapon does not posses s
a pommel, the paladin can engrave its blade ,
haft, or another suitable area.
Faint evocation (good); CT. . 7 st; creator must
be paladin ; Price x,ooo gp; Weight -.
Lantern, Silvern : A silvern lantern resem-
bles an ordinary bullseye or hooded lantern,
but glass plates set in the interior of th e
lantern cause it to cast a brilliant silver ligh t
instead of - the ordinary yellow glow. Traveler s
who see such a glow at night can assume that
the party bearing the light will be peacefu l
and ofli_r assistance to those in need . Temple s
carefully guard the method for creating sil-
vern lanterns, and knights destroy their ow n
rather than risk then] falling into unscrupu-
lous hands . Silvern lanterns generate the same
light radius as a regular bullseye or hoode d
lantern, depending on the style . -
Patents of Nobility : The monarch or rule r
of a land grants these documents . They con-
tain a stylized family tree notariming a knight' s
lineage . A paladin who presents her patents
of nobility at court, or in any setting wher e
nobility is present, gains a+i circumstanc e
bonus on Diplomacy checks made in tha t
setting. The cost listed f1T this item represent s
its value to a collector or sage . You cannot pur-
chase a legitimate patent of nobility ; it mus t
be given to you.
Tabard: A paladin wears this short, sleeve -
less tunic: over her armor . She usually has her
tabard emblazoned with either her family 's
coat-of-arms or the symbol of her temple ,
deity, or creed . Anyone viewing a paladin' s
tabard gains a +2 circumstance bonus on an y
Knowledge (nobility and royalty) or Know-
ledge (religion) checks to identify the paladin' s
allegiance or religion .
A paladin can also procure a tabard for
her mount. This works exactly like a knight' s
tabard, but the circumstance bonuses do
not stark .
Item Cost Weigh t
Banding, elvencraft special specia l
Cartulary 10 gp 1. lb.
Engraved pommel 1,000 gp -
Lantern, silvern, bullseye 22 g p 3 lbs .
Lantern, silvers, hooded 17 gp 2 lbs .
Patents of nobility 250 gp -
Tabard, knight's S gp -
Tabard, mount's 1 gp 2 lbs.
 hen you imagine a modern soldier o r
W a historical warrior in the context o f
the DuNGEONs ai DRACONS game th e
first thing that might come to mind is th e
iconic fighter . For marry military archetypes,
including the full range of- aist-century sol-
diery, the ranger fits much better.
When the first hunter-gatherer tribes
clashed in the antediluvian mists, one mus t
assume they were, in DtieD terms, a mix of
barbarians and rangers . While barbaris m
faded with time (albeit not without mor e
than a few recurrences), the combinatio n
of stealth, wilderness survival, and strikin g
power embodied in the ranger has enjoye d
great success throughout human history .
Almost every army in history-and cer-
tainly every successful one-employed fast-
moving, lightly armored scouts to rang e
ahead of its vanguard, flush for ambushers ,
find enemy encampments, and map out th e
lay of the land . No core class embodies thes e
tasks better than the ranger .
Some military traditions dispense d
entirely with ranks of fighter-class hop-
lites, legionnaires, knights . samurai, o r
-musketeers, using instead fast-movin g
ranger-class irregulars . Perhaps mos t
famously, the native tribes of North Amer-
ica employed tactics far more suitable to a
ranger than to a fighter or even a barbar-
ian . Their internecine strife was no les s
vicious for all its lack of field armies . later ,
although under-equipped and outnum-
bered, they made an indelible impressio n
on the European settlers who encountere d
thern .'1'hat impression led those settler s
to adopt many of the same tactics . In a n
era of massed armies, American revolution-
aries harried British troops with a fightin g
style that, in DO terms, could only b e
described as that of-the ranger .
Two centuries later, nations great an d
small still employ this fighting style per-
fected by natives and irregulars . Nowher e
does that apply more than in special force s
units, such as the British SAS and th e
United States's SEALS, Green Berets, and LI S
Army Rangers.
Both the I)511? ranger and the modern spe -
cial forces excel at tracking, enduring hars h
environments, making effective use of camou -
flage, and moving unseen through underbrush .
The two groups have other aspects in corrrrno n
as well .. The archery combat style applies jus t
as well to the specialized training moder n
elite soldiers receive, and many of the ranger' s
skills-Climb, Move Silently, Survival, Swim ,
and others-find their way into the intens e
regimen of special forces. How does thi s
knowledge help your D&D ranger, though ?
Elite military units don't use entangle an d
speak with animals spells, but many of thei r
tactics, equipment, and weaponry can translat e
well into magic . They sometimes have need t o
set up detection systems (alarm), communicat e
over great distances (animal messenger), observe
enemies without visible light (dark-vision), ja m
enemy sensors (nondetection), and set cicctis' e
traps (snare and spike growth) . Even curative
magic has its modern equivelent-behin d
enemy lines, every soldier must at sonic tim e
become his own medic . Admittedly, the trans -
lation is n't perfect : wind wall and tree stride fall
outside the realm of plausibility using mod -
ern technology.
Players looking to model their ranger s
on modern special forces should begin b y
looking firr some magical artillery. One o f
the most important support mechanisms fo r
special forces is targeted fire support fro m
the air. You can emulate that by providin g
fireball support, such as with a necklace s f fire -
balts . Because both rangers and elite militar y
units work best when moving in small, fast -
moving groups, bags of holding and .leward 's
handy haversacks are a must . If slow-movin g
characters like dwarves, gnomes, halflings ,
or heavily encumbered fighters join your
party, you need to find a way to increase their
movement . Boots of striding and springing
make obvious choices, but helter choice s
might include winged hoots, flying carpets, o r
other ways of providing magical flight . In
fact, getting your entire party in the air most
effectively emulates the helicopter-based fast -
roping techniques of SF :ALs and Rangers an d
maximizes your hit-and-run capabilities .
 ant your rogues to live longer? Sto p
W being a threat . . . or at least stop
seeming like one .
A pacifist rogue, someone who refuse s
to carry weapons or harm living creatures ,
might in some cases aciually outlive th e
stereotypical knife-twirling rogue every -
one expects . Some enemies hesitate whe n
confronted with a seemingly harmless foe .
They might consider the options of ransom ,
interrogation, or even slavery . This give s
your rogue precious time, both to kee p
breathing and to look for other options . Le t
the fighters fight! Spend your time on more
productive pursuits, like hunting for trea-
sure, escape routes, or simply unexpecte d
opportunities. A pacifist rogue more than
earns her keep . All it takes is the right atti-
tude and a little. preparation .
Charm, Wit, and Grace: Few of a rogu e ' s
class abilities suffer when used by a pacifist .
Allocate your skills as needed for the cam-
paign . Even if-unarmed you can still pic k
locks, disarm traps, climb walls, or skulk i n
shadows . Make sure you put at least a fe w
ranks into social skills like Bluff and Diplo -
macy, since the ability to talk your way ou t
of nasty situations becomes even more vital
when you can't fight your way out.
Since you refuse to live by the sword you r
role as the party 's problem solver shoul d
evolve naturally. You must be versatile an d
quick thinking, never at a loss lhT word s
or without a clever way to exploit your sur-
roundings . Once your DM realizes yo u
always try to outwit an enemy or look fo r
something usefiri in the area expect him t o
start including these opportunities mor e
ofl .en . When you decide to adventure with-
out weapons, new solutions to old problem s
begin to emerge .
Cautious Combatant: Combat, whether
an ambush by drow raiders or a hungr y
owibear, rears its head all too often during
adventures . Even as a pacifist you may stil l
take an active role in battlejust not neces-
sarily one your enemies expect .
Sneak attack, the only rogue ability specii =
ically geared to offense, is too handy to cas t
aside . You may deal nonlethal damage with a
sneak attack when used in conjunction wit h
a sap or unarmed strike . Take advantage o f
this . Since punching someone usually pro-
vokes an attack of opportunity you migh t
consider taking a level of-monk to gain not
only unarmed strike, hut Improved Grappl e
as a bonus feat, good saves, and possibly a n
enhanced Armor Class (if you have a Wis-
dom bonus) .
Catch 'ern All: Keep your eyes open Fo r
magic items that, allow you to capture oppo-
nents, like iron bands of Bilarro or a rope of
entanglement . Items that incapacitate o r
reduce an enemy ' s threat potential, such as
a horn of ford or eyes of' doom, also allow yo u
to play a more active role in combat . Avoi d
merciful weapons since they tend to pus h
you back into a rogue ' s traditional role ,
thinking with your blade as you skulk o n
the sidelines and wait for a chance to sta b
someone from behind .
Unexpected Tactics : Always stay active i n
combat . Do something-anything-every
round . Even if all you do is shout " basilisk! "
and cover you eyes it might distract you r
enemies long enough to help one of you r
friends get out of a sticky situation. Expec t
your more violent colleagues to reach fo r
weapons and spell components at the firs t
sign of trouble . Your job is to find option s
others overlook. Attacked in a kitchen? Tos s
a pie at the enemy wizard . Goblins raidin g
the farm? Stampede the cattle .
Resourceful, unique, and charming, you r
pacifist rogue could become the most popu-
lar character you ever play .
 oyalty, while admirable in anyone ,
I can greatly benefit sorcerers or wiz-
ards who keep their original familiar s
throughout their careers . Those who tak e
the Improved familiar feat and refuse t o
cast aside !heir cherished animal part-
ner in favor of a more powerful creatur e
might explore new abilities derived fro m
this enhanced connection . This articl e
lists several enhancements an arcan e
spellcaster with the Improved Familiar
feat might gain if he retains his origina l
familiar rather than acquiring a new an d
more powerful one . Each enhancemen t
has a requisite level in an arcane spell -
casting class as well as a specific familiar .
Blindsense (Ex) : Prerequisites : Arcan e
spellcaster Ievel lath, hat familiar. You gain
blindscnse out to 20 feel . Using nonvisua l
senses, such as acute smell or hearing, yo u
notice things others cannot see . See pag e
306 of the Monster Manual for a complet e
description ofblindsense .
Hallucinatory Perspiration (Ex) : Pre -
requisites: Arcane spellcaster level 9th, toa d
familiar. Your sweat causes creatures ras h
enough to bite you to suffer violent hal-
lucinations . Whenever a creature vulner-
able to poison bites you it must succeed a t
a Fortitude save (DC iv + 1/2 your arcan e
spellcaster class levels + your Constitutio n
modifier) or he affected by the confusio n
spell for rd4 rounds .
Nine Lives (Su) : Prerequisites : Arcane spell -
easier level fth, cat familiar. When you roll t o
stabilize, you have a 50% chance of success
instead of the standard ea% chance .
Regrow (Ex) : Prerequisites : Arcane spell -
raster level 7th, lizard familiar. You can hea l
your own wounds as :a paladin lays o n
hands . Each day you can heal a total num-
ber of hit points of damage equal to hal f
your arcane spelleasting level x your Cha-
risma modifier) .
Scent (Su): Prerequisites : Arcane spellcaste r
level 7th, snake or weasel familiar. You gain th e
scent ability . You can identify familiar odors
.just as normal humans do familiar sights .
Sec page 314 of the Monster Manual for a
complete description of the scent ability .
Second Memory (Ex): Prerequisites :
Arcane spellcaster level 5th, raven familiar .
You may seek your familiar's sometime s
dubious advice . Whenever you attempt a
Knowledge check for a Knowledge skill i n
which you have at least z rank your rave n
familiar attempts to assist you . It nee d
only make a DC 1o Intelligence check to
do so . If it succeeds, you receive the stan-
dard +2 bonus on your skill check .
Self-Cannibalize (Su) : Prerequisites :
Arcane spellcaster level 9th, ra t . familiar. You r
will to survive allows you to feed upo n
your magic . Once per day you may, as a
free action, sacrifice one of your availabl e
spell slots or prepared spells to conver t
some lethal damage you take from a n
attack or spell into nonlethal damage . Th e
level of - the spell sacrificed represenls th e
number of hit points converted into non -
lethal damage .
Tracker (Su) : Prerequisites: Arcane spell -
caster level 9th, hatvk or owl farniliar. Yo u
gain a +2 bonus on Move Silently checks .
You also gain low-light vision . If yo n
already have low-light vision, you can se e
three times as far as a normal human i n
starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and simi-
lar conditions of poor illumination .
Minimu m
Ability Level Familia r
Blindsense 12th Bat
Hallucinatory Perspiration 9th Toa d
Nine Lives 5th Ca t
Regrow 7th Lizard
Scent 7th Snake o r
wease l
Second Memory 5th Rave n
Self-Cannibalize 9th Rat
Tracker 9th Hawk or owl
 izards have become associated with a
W variety ofclichdd affectations. What fol-
lows are explanations of the historica l
meanings behind these symbols .
Athame (Wizard 's Dagger): The athame is
a double-edged, black-hilted, ornate dagge r
used to inscribe runes and circles of power .
The athame is a physical extension of the wiz-
ar d 's will . To retain its effectiveness, the wizar d
must never use her athame for a mundan e
purpose like combat, eating, or carving .
Forked Beard : Wizards with a penchant fo r
or specialization in conjuring most often wea r
a forked beard . I t 's also a temporary favorite of
mages in the process of magic item creatio n
or alchemy. The history of the forked bear d
is tied to the mundane equivalent of coikjury :
smithirlg . Smiths wear their beards separate d
so that it doesn't hang down and become
ignited by the fire of the dirge .
Binding of the Two Fingers : Apprentice s
under the tutelage of a venerable but cel-
ebrated wizard often bind their index an d
middle fingers as a sign of profound respec t
and dedication . This ritual signifies the
consent for the apprentice to offer material
help and assistance in return for the greate r
service of erudition . Why those two fingers ?
A respectful way to aid another person i n
walking, perhaps up a step, is to offer the two
fingers as an anchor.
Eye Shadow : Since ancient times wizards
have worn eye shadow to prevent . malignan t
magic and curses from entering through thei r
eyes . The ritualistic shadowing can range fro m
a discreet coloring around the edges to a com-
plete covering of the pits of the eyes .
Long Gray Beard : Naturally, long grey o r
white beards are attributed to great age an d
wisdom. However, in wizard circles it takes
on a deeper meaning as the traditional mar k
of teachers. As most wizards take apprentice s
later in life, after they retire to research an d
scholarship, many younger wizards lacking
beards consider it insulting for someone t o
approach them seeking apprenticeship. Suc h
all action insinuates they are "over-the-hill ."
This does not stop younger accomplished wiz-
ards from taking apprentices early in life, only
that it is inappropriate for the apprentice to
volunteer himself indiscreetly.
Long Nails : Long nails symbolize the wiz-
ard 's domination over or disdain for the mate-
rial world . Given its negative connotation, evil
wizards most. often indulge in this affectation.
The wearer shows that he rarely participate s
in manual, mundane labor, having other mor e
supernatural ways of accomplishing things .
Pointed Hat : Hats, because of their place-
ment on I:he head, symbolize wisdom an d
intelligence . The pointed form of the classi c
wizard's hat embodies something called th e
cone of power. T he cone of power describe s
the gathered energy that a wizard calls to
himself during spellcasting and its finials int o
a single purpose . The cone of power-seen
from one direction-folios a circle, the sym-
bol of the sun, unity, eternity, and rebirth .
When viewed from the side, it forms a tri-
angle-associated with the elements and pyra-
mids, A pyramid has many mythological an d
mysterious associations, such as the power o f
hidden knowledge held by few (the peak of th e
pyramid) over many (Ihe base) ,
Ribbons : Ribbons represent the element of
air, and as such are favorile accoutrements of
air elementalists. Representative of smoke bil-
lowing from an incense burner, wizards ofte n
tie ribbons to beards, clothing or items .
Staff: The staff is perhaps the quintessential
accessory of the wizard . While magic imbue s
many staves, even. mundane ones aid the wiz-
ard. A wizard 's staff is primarily used to hel p
focus and conduct the wizard's magical ener-
gies . Anyone seeing a wizard's staff gains a -- a
circumstance boInus on any knowledge (local )
and Knowledge (nubility and royalty) checks t o
identify the bearer as a wizard .