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[Necromancy] Item - Soulsmite

Added 2023-09-11 14:00:03 +0000 UTC

The art of spiritcasting was controversial among necromancer’s circles. Critics often cited the comparatively smaller soul reserve, potential liability, and limited effective options as major concerns. Nevertheless, spiritcasting conclave remained strong during the civil war under protection of the Order Aeternal until its conclusion.

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Soulsmite
Rod, uncommon (requires attunement)

This rod can be used as a spellcasting focus. When you use this rod to cast a necromancy spell, you have a +1 bonus to your spell attack rolls and spell save DC for that spell.

Blood For Blood. While you hold this rod, you can use an action to expend 3 of your unused hit dice to cast inflict wounds from it. As part of the action used to cast this spell, you may expend additional unused hit dice to empower it in one of the following ways of your choice:

You heighten the spell’s potency. The spell increases by 1 for every 2 additional hit dice you spend.
You split the spell in two. You spend 2 additional hit dice to target two different targets within range instead of one.

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DESIGN COMMENTARY

While Uncommon rods typically empower mages with a +1 to DC, the rod instead limits the effects to necromancy spells. Minor diminish in power (most characters should be able to just play around this limitation). To make up for it, the rod also offers a sort of "free" spellcasting at the expense of hit dice. 3 hit dice is a steep cost for low-level characters, but characters could also sort of play around that with plenty of rest or healing.