Elemental Spells I – Lightning

This is part of a series of entries with different elemental themed spells for your campaign. This entry includes mostly combat spells with a mixture of damaging options and utility/support options that would feel at home on the spell lists of most casting classes.

Shock Tether is a combat control spell that binds two targets together, giving them a little zap if they move more than a set distance from each other. The spell requires no save for the initial effect or the damage, so with some creative maneuvering can result in some minor guaranteed damage.

Energize is a support spell designed to be a slightly weaker variation of Haste. While there are a few strong synergies with it, like Rogues having the potential for an additional Sneak Attack each round, it is still generally less powerful than Haste, so gets a level 2 slot.

Defibrillate was intended to be a revive option to add to Sorcerer and Wizard spell lists. Not wanting to intrude to far into the healer niche that Cleric and Druid occupy, the spell has some limitations, including a chance to not work at all. To balance out the weaker revive, it can also be used offensively in a pinch, dealing non-lethal lightning damage to a single target at melee range. Neither of these effects on their own are particularly interesting compared to other spells of the same level, but the combination makes for a potentially desirable pickup, especially for classes with limited spell lists, like Sorcerer.

Static Cage went through some different versions in testing that were ultimately too complicated mechanically to be any fun. This was settled on as a practical substitute for Wall of Fire, with a different form, and the added effect of a reaction loss that it often associated with lightning element spells.

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Shock Tether

1st-level conjuration

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 90 feet
• Components: <V, S, M (two equal length rods of conductive metal)>
• Duration: 1 minute

You join two creatures you can see in range that are within 15 feet of each other with a charge of electrical energy. For the duration, if the two creatures ever move or are moved more than 15 feet apart from each other, they each take 2d8 points of lightning damage. This spell ends early with no special effects if either of the creatures is brought to 0 hit points.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage dealt increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

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Energize

2nd-level transmutation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: <V, S, M (A vial of heavily salinated water)>
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

A target creature becomes invigorated with electrical energy. They may take an additional reaction each round, and after using a reaction may immediately move 10 feet. This movement does not provoke opportunity attacks.

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Defibrillate

3rd-level evocation

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: Touch
• Components: <V, S, M (A glove, threaded with gold wire worth at least 200g)>
• Duration: Instantaneous

You place your hands on the target of this spell, releasing a quick jolt of electricity to pause their heartbeat. This can have two different effects depending on the state of the target:

Stopping Pause: If the target of this spell is alive, make a melee spell attack against that target. On a hit the target takes 6d8 lightning damage, and is knocked back 10 feet. Damage caused by this spell is always considered non-lethal.

Starting Pause: If the target of this spell has been dead no longer than one minute, roll a d20, on a roll of 10 or greater, the target is brought back to life with 1 hit point. On a roll of 9 or less the spell fails, the material component is consumed, and the target may not be targeted by Starting Pause again until it has completed a long rest.

If neither of these conditions apply to the target, the spell has no effect.

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Static Cage

5th-level conjuration

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 120 feet
• Components: <V, S>
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You conjure forth a 15 foot radius spherical barrier of electrically charged air centered on a space you can see within the range of this spell. The edge of the sphere crackles and glows with a faint blue light. Any creature that enters or exits the sphere for the first time on its turn, takes 5d8 lightning damage and can’t take reactions until the beginning of its next turn.