Rush Defiler

Rush Defiler

Qualifications:

A Rush Defiler must have an Intelligence of 9 to understand the magic and a Constitution of 15 to brave the great energies that rush through their bodies during spell casting.

Description:

Some magic-users are just too lazy, or too power hungry in some cases, to go about learning how to cast spells the correct way. Some just want that rush of power one gets when they suck the life of nearby plants. Some just prefer a chaotic approach to casting magic. Whatever the case, those too impatient to even learn how to defilein the traditional manner have another option for energy gathering: Rush Defiling.

Simply, Rush Defiling is the most vulgar form of spell casting on Athas. Rush Defilers steal an arbitrary amount of energy from plants, and when they feel they’ve got enough, they let it loose, hoping that they’ve shaped it enough to resemble the spell they intended to cast (or any spell for that matter). Because of the haphazard way they cast, spells can come out any number of ways, from twice as powerful to twice as weak. Sometimes there are unexpected side-affects to the spell, and sometimes the spell doesn’t work at all.

No one has taken credit for inventing Rush Defiling. In fact, tutors are hardly necessary when becoming a Rush Defiler. The only thing a tutor is needed for is the basics for drawing the plant energy and for information on how to read and write magic.

Weapon Proficiencies:

Because they aren’t too careful with their Somatics, Rush Defilers can afford to use bulkier weapons that would otherwise inhibit spell casting. These mages can chose from any weapon available to Clerics and Theives.

Nonweapon Proficiencies:

Barred: None. Bonus: None. Required: None. Suggested: None.

Armor/Equipment:

Standard.

Special Benefits/Disadvantages:

A Rush Defiler’s spells have more than one way to turn out. They can be stronger, weaker, completely different, or can come out normally.

Each time a spell is cast, roll 1d100 and consult the table below to see how the spell was affected (if at all).

Roll	Result
01	The spell fails. The energies harm the caster, causing 1d4 points of damage.
02-05	The spell fails. It is wiped clean from the caster’s memory.
06-10	The spell functions but as if the caster was two levels lower. All damage from the spell is halved.
11-30	The spell functions, but the range and duration is halved. Subtract one damage die when applicable.
31-35	The spell cast is not the one intended. Randomly select another spell by blindly picking one from the list on pages 126 and 127 of the Player’s Handbook. The spell must be of the same level as the failed spell. The spell is cast even if the caster hasn’t learned it.
36-65	The spell functions normally.
66-70	The spell cast is not the one intended. Randomly select another spell by blindly picking one from the list on pages 126 and 127 of the Player’s Handbook. The spell may be one level higher. The spell is cast even if the caster hasn’t learned it.
71-90	The spell is slightly enhanced. Double the range and duration, and add one extra die of damage when applicable.
91-95	The spell functions as if the caster were two levels higher. All damage from the spell is doubled.
96-99	The spell functions twice as well as expected. Damage, range, and duration is effectively doubled, and the spell functions as if the caster were two levels higher for the sake of dispelling.
00	The spell functions twice as well as expected. Damage, range, and duration is effectively doubled, and the spell functions as if the caster were two levels higher for the sake of dispelling. The incredible rush from the defiling heals the caster 1d4 hit points, or gives him 1d4 phantom hit points if he is at full health. The phantom hit points disappear at a rate of one per hour.