DCC Spell - Fennril's Malevolent Grasp

Okay, so I'm spending a quiet Sunday updating my DCC Campaign Guide for my players, for my eventual next campaign -- in it I have all sorts of campaign-world specific things, including an expanded list of spells ...

One of the spells was 'Fennril's Exquisite Strangulation', which is based on the unique OSR spell of the same name from Barrowmaze.  I forget where I found it on the internet, but I copy and pasted it into my campaign book as a possible spell for players.

Re-reading that spell, it's something a player would want to take (force choke for the win!) but it's not powerful, not interesting, and doesn't scale up with higher spell casting checks like other 1st level spells do.  

So, for your enjoyment, I re-wrote it, renamed it 'Fennril's Malevolent Grasp', and I'm sharing it here for all the DCC Wizard's out there who find their foes' lack of faith disturbing.

Fennril’s Malevolent Grasp

Level:                  1                                                         Range:               20’ + 5’ per CL   Duration:            See Text                                             Casting Time:      1 action plus Concentration Save:                  Fortitude save negates (See text)

The caster summons a spectral force to strangle their foes.  The caster must concentrate solely on the spell or the effect is broken.

Manifestation: Roll 1d6: (1) the victim is lifted off its feet, as if an invisible claw has lifted it by its throat; (2) smoke is exhaled from the casters’ mouth and nostrils, and it drifts to the victim, climbing in all orifices clogging breath; (3) the victim’s mouth and nose cease to exist, leaving a horrified victim clawing at a blank space of skin; (4) flies and gnats swarm the victim’s head, filling its mouth and nostrils, crawling down its throat, (5) a spectral hand clenches around the victim's throat, (6) small ephemeral creatures that are tentacled and beaked surround the victim, entangling them.

Corruption: Roll 1d4: (1) the caster gains belabored breathing and a raspy voice, -1d to all interaction checks involving Personality; (2) the caster develops a hacking cough after exerting themselves (including casting a spell), suffering a -1 to all checks for 1 turn that can be cumulative up to -4 before the caster must rest for 1d6 rounds; (3) caster’s hands become twisted and clawlike, giving them a 1d4 attack but -1 Agility; (4) caster’s hands and lips blacken.

Misfire:  Roll 1d4: (1) flies and gnats erupt from the caster’s mouth and nostrils causing 1d4 damage to themselves and all within 5’; (2) caster coughs uncontrollably for 1d4 rounds (no actions permitted); (3) burst of ammonia in a 10’ radius causing all creatures within to cough and retch (-2 to all checks for 1d6 rounds); (4) spectral tentacles surround and cocoon the caster, antangling them in their embrace for 1d6 rounds (immobilized, cannot take any action unless they break free with a DC 20 Strength check, and suffer 1d6 damage per round).

Mercurial Magic:

1           Lost, failure and worse!  Roll 1d6 modified by Luck: (0 or less) corruption, misfire patron taint, (1-2) corruption; (3) patron taint (or corruption if no patron); (4+) misfire

2-11      Lost, failure

12-13    One adult-sized humanoid target that fails their saving throw experiences a coughing fit, struggling to breathe (-2 to all actions) for a round.

14-17    One adult-sized humanoid target that fails their saving throw claws at their throat, struggling to breathe (-2 to all actions), and is held in place (make a Strength check against the spell result to move half speed) for 1d4 rounds.

18-19    One ogre-sized humanoid target that fails their saving throw claws at their throat and cannot breathe (-2 to all actions), is held in place (make a Strength check against the spell check to move at half speed), and takes 1d4+CL damage per round for 1d4 rounds.

20-23   Up to three ogre-sized humanoid targets that fail their saving throws struggle to breathe (-2 to all actions), are held in place (make a Strength check against the spell check to move at half speed) and take 1d4+CL damage for 1d4+CL rounds.

24-27   Up to three ogre-sized creatures targeted that fail their saving throws struggle to breathe (-2 to all actions), are held in place (make a Strength check against the spell check to move hat half speed), and take 1d4+CL damage per round for 1d6+CL rounds.

28-29   Up to three ogre-sized creatures targeted that fail their saving throws can barely breathe at all (-2 to all actions, lose 1d3 points of Stamina per round, and if reduced to 0 Stamina they die), and cannot move (make a Strength check against the spell check to move at half speed), and further take 1d6+CL damage per round for 1d6+CL rounds.

30-31    Up to 1d3+CL ogre-sized creatures targeted that fail their saving throws cannot breathe at all (-2 to all actions, lose 1d6 points of Stamina per round, and if reduced to 0 Stamina they die), and cannot move (make a Strength check against the spell check to move at half speed), and further take 2d6+CL damage per round for 1d6+CL rounds.

32+      Up to 1d6+CL giant-sized creatures targeted that fail their saving throws cannot breathe at all (-2 to all actions, lose 1d6 points of Stamina per round, and if reduced to 0 Stamina they die), and cannot move (make a Strength check against the spell check to move at half speed), and further take 3d6+CL damage per round for 1d6+CL rounds.