Multi-Variable Spells: 0-2nd Level Spells Beginning with V-Z

by Tim Wallace

And, without further ado, here are the final 0-2nd level spells from the Core Rule Book, Advanced Player's Guide, Ultimate Combat, and Ultimate Magic:

Vanish

Vanish has been incorporated into invisibility (see Multi-Variable Spells: 0-2nd Level Spells Beginning with I, J, & K).

Veil of Positive Energy

School abjuration [good]; Level paladin 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range personal or 5 ft.; see text

Target you or all creatures within 5 ft.; see text

Duration 10 minutes/level (D)

You surround yourself with a veil of positive energy, making it harder for undead creatures to harm you. When under the effect of this spell, you gain a +2 sacred bonus to AC and a+2 sacred bonus on saves. Both of these bonuses apply only against attacks or effects created by undead creatures. You can dismiss this spell before its normal duration as a swift action on your turn to deal a number of points of positive energy damage equal to your level to all undead creatures within 5 feet of you.

Heightened Effects: The sacred bonus apply to attacks or effects created by evil-aligned outsiders, evil-aligned dragons, and undead. Likewise, the damage dealt by dismissing the spell before its normal duration is dealt to evil-aligned outsiders, evil-aligned dragons, and undead.

Ventriloquism

School illusion (figment); Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, F (parchment rolled into cone)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect intelligible sound, usually speech

Duration 1 min./level (D)

Saving Throw Will disbelief (if interacted with); Spell Resistance no

You can make your voice (or any sound that you can normally make vocally) seem to issue from someplace else. You can speak in any language you know. With respect to such voices and sounds, anyone who hears the sound and rolls a successful save recognizes it as illusory (but still hears it).

Diminished Effects: You must be touching the object from which your voice issues.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s range increases to medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level).

Versatile Weapon

School transmutation; Level bard 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 3

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M (iron filings)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one weapon or 50 projectiles, all of which must be together at the time of casting

Duration 1 minute/level

Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)

You transform the physical makeup of a weapon as you desire. This spell subtly alters the physical properties of a weapon, enabling it to bypass damage reduction of one the following types: bludgeoning, cold iron, piercing, silver, or slashing. The affected weapon still inflicts damage of its normal type and its hardness and hit points are unchanged. This spell can be cast on a natural weapon or unarmed strike.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s duration is reduced to 1 round/level.

Heightened Effects: The altered weapon can instead bypass damage reduction of one the following types: adamantine or alignment-based.

Vestment of the Champion

School abjuration; Level antipaladin 2, cleric/oracle 2, inquisitor 2, paladin 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Component V, S

Range touch

Target armor or shield touched

Duration 10 minutes/level

Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance (harmless, object)

You imbue a suit of armor or a shield you are wearing or carrying with an enhancement bonus of +1 per four caster levels (maximum +5 at 20th level).. If the armor or shield is worn or carried by anyone other than you, the spell has no effect, but resumes its effect when you are wearing or carrying it again.

An outfit of regular clothing counts as armor that grants no AC bonus for the purpose of this spell.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s duration decreases to 1 minute/level, and the suit of armor or shield is only imbued with a +1 enhancement bonus.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s duration increases to 1 hour/level, and you may imbue any suit of armor or shield, not just one you are wearing or carrying.

Note: This spell combines the effects of the following spells: magic vestment and vestment of the champion.

Virtue

School transmutation; Level cleric 0, druid 0, paladin 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range touch

Target creature touched

Duration 1 min.

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

With a touch, you infuse a creature with a tiny surge of life, granting the subject 1 temporary hit point.

Heightened Effects: The subject is granted 1d4 temporary hit points + 1 point per two caster levels (maximum 1d4+5).

Vocal Alteration

School transmutation; Level alchemist 1, bard 1, inquisitor 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one humanoid creature

Duration 1 minute/level

Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes

You alter the target's voice to something else. For example, you could make the target's voice high-pitched, husky, or nasal, or change its accent to an accent you are familiar with. If this spell is used as part of a disguise, the target gets a +10 bonus on the Disguise check when trying to fool a listener.

The target can vary the disguised voice just as it could its normal voice. For example, a halfling female given a male dwarf noble's voice and accent could speak in falsetto, with a rural halfling accent, and so on.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s range is reduced to touch, its duration is reduced to 1 round/level, and the target only gets a +5 bonus on the Disguise check when trying to fool a listener.

Heightened Effects: The target gets a +20 bonus on the Disguise check when trying to fool a listener.

Vomit Swarm

School conjuration (summoning); Level alchemist 2, witch 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components S

Range personal

Effect one swarm of spiders

Duration 1 round/level

You vomit forth a swarm of spiders that attacks all other creatures within its area. The swarm begins adjacent to you, but if no living creatures are within its area, it moves in one direction of your choosing at its normal speed. You can move the swarm or change the swarm's direction by spending a standard action to concentrate on the swarm, otherwise it continues moving in its current direction. If your caster level is at least 7th, you can vomit forth a swarm of wasps instead. Finally, if your caster level is at least 13th, you can vomit forth a swarm of army ants.

Diminished Effects: You only vomit forth 1d3 greensting scorpions which you can direct just as if you had summoned up a swarm.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s range becomes touch, and the target must make a Fortitude save or become sickened for one round as they vomit up the swarm, after which they are attacked by the swarm. If the target succeeds on its Fortitude save it is instead sickened for 1d3 rounds, and it does not vomit up a swarm.

Wake of Light

School evocation [good]; Level paladin 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range 120 ft.

Effect a 10-ft.-wide path in a straight line, up to 120 ft. long

Duration 1 round/level

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

You and your mount lay down a trail of glowing, heavenly mist behind you as you move that makes passage easier for good creatures but more difficult for evil creatures. This glowing trail of mist appears behind your mount in a straight line starting where you cast the spell and ending where your mount ends its movement. The mist takes the form of a path 10 feet wide and up to 120 feet long and always floats just above the ground, up to a height of 1 foot. Thereafter, the mist persists for 1 round per level.

Good creatures may walk along the top of the mist as if it were solid, treating squares of difficult terrain containing the mist as normal terrain. Evil creatures find the mist thick and cloying, and treat squares of normal terrain containing the mist as difficult terrain instead. Neutral creatures pass through the mist with no effect. The mist has no effect on obstacles or otherwise impassable terrain, and does not block sight or provide concealment.

Except for very special circumstances (such as a celestial or fiendish mount), mounts use the alignment of their rider when determining how this spell affects them. You must be mounted to enjoy the benefits of this spell. If you dismount, get knocked off, or take any other action that separates you from your mount, the spell immediately ends, although the mist remains for the spell's normal duration.

A wake of light cannot follow across water, underwater, or through the air in the case of a mount capable of walking on water, swimming, or flight.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s effect is a 10-ft.-wide path in a straight line, up to 60 ft. long.

Heightened Effects: A wake of light can follow across water or through the air, but not under water. It can form a bridge as long as it begins and ends on solid ground. If you dismount, get knocked off, or take any other action that separates you from your mount, the spell immediately ends, and any creatures traversing the wake immediately falls threw the mist bridge, taking fall damage as normal.

Warding Weapon

School abjuration; Level magus 1, sorcerer/wizard 2, summoner 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, F (one melee weapon you are proficient in and you are holding)

Range personal

Target you

Duration 1 round/level

The focus of this spell flies upward above your head and takes a defensive position within your space. It lunges at opponents, as if guided by a martially trained hand, parrying and turning back melee attacks aimed at you, but does not strike back at any opponent nor does it damage them. The weapon serves only as a defense. While it protects you, you can cast spells without provoking attacks of opportunity, without the need to cast them defensively.

A creature with the Disruptive feat can easily bypass this spell's defenses. You provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells against these creatures even when subject to this spell, though you can still choose to cast defensively.

Diminished Effects: N/A

Heightened Effects: The spell’s range becomes 5 feet and it target becomes one 5-foot square. The weapon will ward any ally occupying the target square.

Warp Wood

School transmutation; Level druid 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target 1 Small wooden object/level, all within a 20-ft. radius

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)

You cause wood to bend and warp, permanently destroying its straightness, form, and strength. A warped door springs open (or becomes stuck, requiring a Strength check to open, at your option). A boat or ship springs a leak. Warped ranged weapons are useless. A warped melee weapon causes a –4 penalty on attack rolls.

You may warp one Small or smaller object or its equivalent per caster level. A Medium object counts as two Small objects, a Large object as four, a Huge object as eight, a Gargantuan object as 16, and a Colossal object as 32.

Alternatively, you can unwarp wood (effectively warping it back to normal) with this spell. Make whole, on the other hand, does no good in repairing a warped item.

You can combine multiple consecutive warp wood spells to warp (or unwarp) an object that is too large for you to warp with a single spell. Until the object is completely warped, it suffers no ill effects.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s target becomes 1 Small wooden object/level, all within a 10-ft. radius.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s target becomes 1 Medium  wooden object/level, all within a 20-ft. radius.

Wartrain Mount

School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level antipaladin 1, bard 2, druid 2, inquisitor 1, paladin 1, ranger 1

Casting Time 1 minute

Components V, S, M (a swatch of black cloth)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one indifferent or friendly animal

Duration 1 hour/level

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

You instill the target animal with the combat training general purpose (see the Handle Animal skill). This supersedes the animal's previous trained purpose and any tricks it knows. When the spell ends, it reverts to its previous trained purpose and known tricks.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s duration is reduced to 10 minutes/level.

Heightened Effects: For every four caster levels beyond 4th, you may instill the animal with an additional animal trick (in addition to the combat training general purpose).

Weaken Powder

School transmutation; Level druid 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M/DF (an empty paper cartridge)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target 1 loaded firearm

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)

Ammunition in the target firearm generates less of an explosive charge when fired. With such ammunition, the firearm's range increment is halved and the firer takes a –2 penalty on damage rolls. If aware of this spell's effect prior to firing the altered ammunition (a DC 16 Spellcraft check to identify the spell being cast or similar effect), the firearm's user can spend a standard action to clear the altered ammunition from the firearm. Doing so destroys that ammunition.

Diminished Effects: Firearm’s user is automatically aware of the spell’s casting and may make a save against to negate it.

Heightened Effects: The firearm's firer takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls in addition to the –2 penalty on damage rolls. If aware of this spell's effect prior to firing the altered ammunition (a DC 17 Spellcraft check to identify the spell being cast or similar effect), the firearm's user can spend a standard action to clear the altered ammunition from the firearm. Doing so destroys that ammunition.

Weapon of Awe

School transmutation; Level cleric 2, inquisitor 2, paladin 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range touch

Target weapon touched

Duration 1 minute/level

Saving Throw Will negates (harmless, object); Spell Resistance yes (harmless, object)

You transform a single weapon into an awe-inspiring instrument. The weapon gains a +2 sacred bonus on damage rolls, and if the weapon scores a critical hit, the target of that critical hit becomes shaken for 1 round with no saving throw. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. A ranged weapon affected by this spell applies these effects to its ammunition.

You can't cast this spell on a natural weapon, but you can cast it on an unarmed strike.

Diminished Effects: Targets of critical hits do not become shaken.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s target becomes weapons touched and you divide the duration in 1-minute intervals among the weapons touched.

Web Shelter

School conjuration (creation); Level cleric 2, druid 2, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 2, summoner 2, witch 2

Components V, S, DF

Casting Time 1 minute

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./two levels)

Effect 5 ft.–10 ft. diameter web sphere or 5 ft.–20 ft. hemisphere

Duration 1 hour/level (D)

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You create a shelter of slightly sticky webbing. The shelter has a hinged door large enough to accommodate a Medium creature. The opaque walls of the shelter measure 1 inch thick and provide total cover to anyone within it.

Only Fine creatures with negligible Strength can be caught in the webbing (including swarms); all other creatures can pull themselves free without making a Strength check or taking an action. The webbing is sticky enough to hold twigs, leaves, dirt, and other light items, allowing you to conceal the shelter. The shelter is watertight and insulated when the door is closed. Its surface has a hardness of 0 and 2 hit points for every 5-foot square of web surface area. It takes normal damage from fire and burns as easily as wood. When the spell ends, the webbing decays rapidly and disappears.

Diminished Effects: The web sphere or hemisphere is only large enough to shelter a 5-foot cube of space.

Heightened Effects: The web sphere or hemisphere gains resist energy 5 to your choice of one of five energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. The spell gains the descriptor of the energy type you choose.

Web

School conjuration (creation); Level sorcerer/wizard 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M (spider web)

Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Effect webs in a 20-ft.-radius spread

Duration 10 min./level (D)

Saving Throw Reflex negates; see text; Spell Resistance no

Web creates a many-layered mass of strong, sticky strands. These strands trap those caught in them. The strands are similar to spiderwebs but far larger and tougher. These masses must be anchored to two or more solid and diametrically opposed points or else the web collapses upon itself and disappears. Creatures caught within a web become grappled by the sticky fibers. Attacking a creature in a web doesn't cause you to become grappled.

Anyone in the effect's area when the spell is cast must make a Reflex save. If this save succeeds, the creature is inside the web but is otherwise unaffected. If the save fails, the creature gains the grappled condition, but can break free by making a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as a standard action against the DC of this spell. The entire area of the web is considered difficult terrain. Anyone moving through the webs must make a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as part of their move action, with a DC equal to the spell's DC. Creatures that fail lose their movement and become grappled in the first square of webbing that they enter.

If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover.

The strands of a web spell are flammable. A flaming weapon can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away one 5-foot square in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames.

Web can be made permanent with a permanency spell. A permanent web that is damaged (but not destroyed) regrows in 10 minutes.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s effect becomes a 5-ft.-radius spread.

Heightened Effects: Creatures grappled by the web take 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage each round as the strands constrict.

Whispering Wind

School transmutation [air]; Level bard 2, sorcerer/wizard 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range 1 mile/level

Area 10-ft.-radius spread

Duration no more than 1 hour/level or until discharged (destination is reached)

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You send a message or sound on the wind to a designated spot. The whispering wind travels to a specific location within range that is familiar to you, provided that it can find a way to the location. A whispering wind is as gentle and unnoticed as a zephyr until it reaches the location. It then delivers its whisper-quiet message or other sound. Note that the message is delivered regardless of whether anyone is present to hear it. The wind then dissipates.

You can prepare the spell to bear a message of no more than 25 words, cause the spell to deliver other sounds for 1 round, or merely have the whispering wind seem to be a faint stirring of the air. You can likewise cause the whispering wind to move as slowly as 1 mile per hour or as quickly as 1 mile per 10 minutes.

When the spell reaches its objective, it swirls and remains in place until the message is delivered. As with magic mouth, whispering wind cannot speak verbal components, use command words, or activate magical effects.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s range is reduced to 1 mile per two caster levels and the message must be 6 or fewer words long.

Heightened Effects: When the spell reaches its objective, it will wait to deliver the message until a recipient you designate arrives or the spell’s duration ends, whichever comes first.

Wilderness Soldiers

School transmutation: Level druid 2, ranger 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range 30 ft.

Area 30-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you

Duration 1 round/level

Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

You call on the plants nearby to aid you in combat. This spell is ineffective if no plants you can direct are within the area. You can spend a swift action and/or a standard action on each of your turns to direct one of the following attacks. The attack bonus or CMB for these attacks equals your base attack bonus + your Wisdom modifier. You grant a +1 bonus per three caster levels (maximum +5) on damage rolls due to this spell. Your wilderness soldiers never provoke attacks of opportunity, and they do not count as allies for flanking or other purposes.

Tree: A tree makes a melee attack with a 10-foot reach from its trunk. A hit deals an amount of damage equal to 1d8 points + your Wisdom modifier. The tree can instead attempt a bull rush, drag, or reposition combat maneuver with the same reach, but the tree cannot move itself.

Undergrowth or Hedgerow: Acting as a Medium creature, one square of undergrowth or hedgerow attempts a grapple combat maneuver against an opponent within or adjacent to that square. Heavy undergrowth gains a +2 bonus to its CMD. Undergrowth cannot move the grapple or pin a foe, but it can deal an amount of damage equal to 1d4 points + your Wisdom modifier by making a successful grapple check against a foe it is grappling. The undergrowth's CMD is 5 + its CMB. If you fail to direct the undergrowth to maintain the grapple, it releases its opponent.

Diminished Effects: The spell only affects plants in a 15-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you.

Heightened Effects: The spell affects plants in a 60-ft.-radius emanation, centered on you. In addition, a successful hit from tree deals damage equal to 1d10 + your Wisdom modifier and undergrowth can deal an amount of damage equal to 1d6 points + your Wisdom modifier by making a successful grapple check against a foe it is grappling.

Wind Wall

School evocation [air]; Level cleric 3, druid 3, ranger 2, sorcerer/wizard 3

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M/DF (a tiny fan and an exotic feather)

Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Effect wall up to 10 ft./level long and 5 ft./level high (S)

Duration 1 round/level

Saving Throw none; see text; Spell Resistance yes

An invisible vertical curtain of wind appears. It is 2 feet thick and of considerable strength. It is a roaring blast sufficient to blow away any bird smaller than an eagle, or tear papers and similar materials from unsuspecting hands. (A Reflex save allows a creature to maintain its grasp on an object.) Tiny and Small flying creatures cannot pass through the barrier. Loose materials and cloth garments fly upward when caught in a wind wall. Arrows and bolts are deflected upward and miss, while any other normal ranged weapon passing through the wall has a 30% miss chance. (A giant-thrown boulder, a siege engine projectile, and other massive ranged weapons are not affected.) Gases, most gaseous breath weapons, and creatures in gaseous form cannot pass through the wall (although it is no barrier to incorporeal creatures).

While the wall must be vertical, you can shape it in any continuous path along the ground that you like. It is possible to create cylindrical or square wind walls to enclose specific points.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s range is reduced to close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).

Heightened Effects: Creatures passing through the wall must make a Fortitude save or be blinded for 1d6 rounds because of the debris being kicked up by the wall.

Wood Shape

School transmutation; Level druid 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range touch

Target one touched piece of wood no larger than 10 cu. ft. + 1 cu. ft./level

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Will negates (object); Spell Resistance yes (object)

Wood shape enables you to form one existing piece of wood into any shape that suits your purpose. While it is possible to make crude coffers, doors, and so forth, fine detail isn't possible. There is a 30% chance that any shape that includes moving parts simply doesn't work.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s target becomes one piece of wood no larger than 1 cu. ft. + 1 cu. ft. per two caster levels.

Heightened Effects: There is only a 10% chance that any shape that includes moving parts simply doesn't work.

Word of Resolve

School abjuration; Level paladin 1

Casting Time 1 immediate action

Components V, DF

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one ally

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Will negate (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

You focus your aura on one ally, allowing it to reroll a failed saving throw against a charm or fear effect with a +4 sacred bonus. If you do not have the aura of courage class ability, this spell has no effect on the target's fear. If you do not have the aura of resolve class ability, this spell has no effect on any charm effects on the target.

Heightened Effects: You allow the ally to reroll a failed saving throw against a charm or fear effect with a +6 sacred bonus.

Wrath

School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level inquisitor 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, M (a thorny vine)

Range personal

Target you

Duration 1 minute

You focus your anger against an enemy. Choose one enemy creature that you can see. You gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls against that designated creature for every three caster levels you have (at least +1, maximum +3). You also receive this bonus on caster level checks made to overcome the creature's spell resistance, if any. At 12th level, you gain the benefits of the Improved Critical feat on attack rolls made against the designated creature. This effect doesn't stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon.

Diminished Effects: You only gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls against that designated creature.

Heightened Effects: The spell’s range becomes touch and its target becomes one living creature touched.

Youthful Appearance

School transmutation (polymorph); Level alchemist 1, bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range touch

Target creature touched

Duration 1 hour/level

You make your target look like a younger version of itself. You select how much younger it looks (for example, “10 years” or “as a young adult”). You cannot otherwise change details of the target's appearance other than those directly associated with aging (for example, gray hair returns to its original color). The target cannot appear so much younger that it changes size. This spell does not affect any age-based modifications to ability scores or other age-related effects.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s duration is reduced to 1 minute/level.

Heightened Effects: The target creature can ignore age-based modifications to ability scores or other age-related effects for the duration of the spell.

Zone of Truth

School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level cleric 2, paladin 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S, DF

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area 20-ft.-radius emanation

Duration 1 min./level

Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

Creatures within the emanation area (or those who enter it) can't speak any deliberate and intentional lies. Each potentially affected creature is allowed a save to avoid the effects when the spell is cast or when the creature first enters the emanation area. Affected creatures are aware of this enchantment. Therefore, they may avoid answering questions to which they would normally respond with a lie, or they may be evasive as long as they remain within the boundaries of the truth. Creatures who leave the area are free to speak as they choose.

Diminished Effects: The spell’s duration is reduced to 1 round/level and its area is reduced to a 10-ft.-radius emanation.

Heightened Effects: Affected creatures must make a separate Will save for each question they wish to provide an evasive answer to or to avoid answering a question outright.