This is something I have used in my previous 2 campaigns since casters typically have very few spells per day in their earlier levels and it helps keep casters from relying on other means to do damage (or control in some cases) in combat. Weirdings, weirding caster levels, and weirding levels are terms I use to characterize spells and alternate magic systems that mimic spells, like psionics and powers or shadowmagic and mysteries. I recommend using this in mid-high weirding energy level settings and tweaking them as you see fit. ie you wouldn't see this in an LotR setting because of how little magic is used in that setting, but you would see it in a setting like in the Drizz't trilogy since magic is very common in that setting.
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Every creature with the ability to cast level 1 weirdings can learn a Weirding Bolt. When a creature gains access to 1st level weirdings they automatically gain a Weirding Bolt they meet the prerequisites for. Weirding Bolts are treated as magic and ranged weapons so feats and abilities that affect either of them still apply. However, feats that alters the weirding level of a weirding cannot affect Weirding Bolts. Some weirdings have a saving throw for
- Weirding Bolt: Damage: (1d6 + casting modifier) Crit: x2 Range: 25 + (5ft/2 highest weirding caster levels) Type: magic Notes: vs Touch instead of AC.
- Acid: Must be able to cast acid weirdings; deals acid damage and corrodes metal.
- Arcane: Must be able to cast arcane spells; ignores Spell Resistance from divine sources.
- Animating: Must be able to cast animation weirdings; the damage roll determines the maximum number of objects that can be animated at a given time. The duration the Animation Bolt is active is 1 round/highest weirding caster level and can be cancelled as a free action. When the Animation Bolt has been used to its maximum capacity it instead heals the animations for (damage + caster level) HP.
- Binding: Must be able to cast binding weirdings; instead of damage the target is entangled in his space for a number of rounds (caster ability modifier) and the "damage" is converted to the number of rounds they are slowed afterwards and their movement is restricted to 50%.
- Blinding: Must be able to cast a blinding weirding; blinds the target of all senses used to "see" for a number of rounds in place of damage.
- Chaos: Must be able to cast chaotic aligned weirdings or Protect From Law; a magic attack that is considered chaotic for the purpose of overcoming Damage Reduction.
- Charming: Must be able to cast a charm or control weirdings (other than inanimate control weirdings such as Control Fire); charms a target for a number of rounds in place of damage, the max HD of creatures that can be charmed by this effect = the Attack Bonus.
- Cold: Must be able to cast cold weirdings; deals cold damage vs AC and applies a -2 to attack rolls and AC that does not stack with other Cold Bolts and lasts 1 round/2 highest weirding caster levels.
- Dazing: Must be able to cast dazing or stunning weirdings; dazes the target for a number of rounds in place of damage.
- Divine: Must be able to cast divine weirdings; ignores Spell Resistance from arcane sources.
- Electricity: Must be able to cast electricity weirdings; deals electricity damage.
- Evil: Must be able to cash evil aligned weirdings or Protect From Good; a magic attack considered evil for the purpose of overcoming Damage Reduction.
- Fear: Must be able to cast fear weirdings; makes a target flee for a number of rounds in place of damage.
- Fire: Must be able to cast fire weirdings; deals fire damage and ignites flammables.
- Force: Must be able to cast force weirdings; deals force damage and damages objects.
- Good: Must be able to cast Good aligned weirdings or Protect From Evil; a magic atack considered good for the purpose of overcoming Damage Reduction.
- Grabbing: Must be able to cast psionic, binding, or "Bigby's Hand" weirdings, or have the feat Improved Grapple; grapples a target and deals damage while grappled, only one target may be grappled by this effect at any given time.
- Knocking: Must be able to cast the Knock spell, weirdings that move a target, or have the feat Improved Trip; trips a target in place of damage, if the target is already prone the target is then moved 5ft away from the caster, this attack also acts as a Knock spell.
- Lawful: Must be able to cast lawful aligned weirdings or Protect From Chaos; a magic attack considered lawful for the purpose of overcomming Damage Reduction.
- Mechanus: Must be able to cast construct oriented weirdings; deals magic damage, but heals objects and constructs.
- Nature: Must be able to cast nature oriented weirdings; deals magic damage, but heals animals and plants.
- Necromatic: Must be able to cast weirdings dealing negative energy damage; deals negative energy damage, healing undead and harming the living.
- Poison: Must be able to cast weirdings inflicting poison or create poison naturally; deals (caster ability modifier) damage for a number of rounds in place of the regular damage.
- Prismatic: Must be able to cast prismatic weirdings; deals acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic damage.
- Provocative: provokes a target to attack you for a number of rounds in place of damage and the effect cancels prematurely if a foe of the target is healed for more than the initial damage roll of the Provocative Bolt.
- Psionic: Must be able to use psionics or weirdings with psionic powers; deals psionic damage.
- Pulling: Must be able to cast weirdings that move the target; pulls the target towards you 5ft in place of damage.
- Pushing: Must be able to cast weirdings that move the target or have the feat Improved Bull Rush; pushes the target away from you 5ft in place of damage.
- Shadow: Must be able to cast Shadow Magic or weirdings involving Shadows; deals Shadow Magic damage and mimics any effect that overcomes damage reduction.
- Shielding: Must be able to cast weirdings that improve Armor Class; instead of damage the target gains a boost to his AC no higher than the caster level of the caster, any left over damage is converted into stacking weirding resistance appropriate for the caster that does not stack from other Shielding Bolts, last a number of rounds equal to the "damage".
- Slowing: Must be able to cast entanglement or slow weirdings; reduces the target's movement speed by 5(damage) ft, to a minimum of 5ft or (5 x -1 x Size Modifier) ft (whichever is higher), lasting a number of rounds equal to the "damage" instead of inflicting damage to the creature. Upon a successful critical hit the target is paralyzed (no save). Creatures in flight that loose the ability to move or are paralyzed from this Bolt do not fall if they would normally do so, instead stay stay in place.
- Sonic: Must be able to cast sonic weirdings; deals sonic damage and damages crystals/glass.
- Summoning: Must be able to cast summoning weirdings; summons a creature or swarm the summoner is familiar with, with HD < to the "damage" and a CR < the damage bonus. While a creature is summoned from a Summoning Bolt, it acts as if summoned by a Summon Monster spell, or other appropriate weirding, and cannot exceed the range of the Summoning Bolt without dispelling. Only 1 creature may be summoned by a Summoning Bolt at any given time, can be dismissed as a free action on the user's turn. Summoning Bolts heals the creature summoned by its effect in place of damage regardless of its type or suptypes.
- Telekinetic: Must be able to cast telekinetic weirdings; move the target up to 5ft in a desired direction, the target must be (damage x10) lb or less and the target cannot move from that square without making an opposed Wisdom check, lasts until the end of the second round after being used in place of damage.
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