Snare

Enchantment/Charm [warding]

• • Level Druid 3

  • Components V, S, M

  • Casting Time 3 rounds

  • Range See description

  • Area of Effect See description

  • Duration Permanent until discharged (see description)

  • Save None

This spell creates a trap that will entwine any creature entering the area of effect.

The caster creates a trap that will entwine any creature entering the area of effect.

• • Creatures coming near have a 10% chance (d%; 91-00) to notice the trap before they enter the area of effect. Intelligent creatures (those with an Intelligence rating of Low or higher) will avoid the trap.

  • Even if not noticed, the area trapped will detect as magical, and can be discovered with a successful find traps check (or find traps spell).

Area of Effect. The area of effect is one 5-ft. square, becoming a 10-ft. square at caster level 7, a 15-ft. square at caster level 13, up to a maximum of a 20-ft. square at caster level 19.

Effect. The snare itself is a long cord. If a 20-ft. sapling or similar tall plant (natural and growing in the ground) is nearby, the cord can be afixed to it (the plant bending due to the magic of the spell). If no such plant is available, the cord will not be attached to anything but will lie on the ground.

• • Any creature, over 1-ft. in length that enters the area of effect will trigger the trap.

  • The first appropriate creature entering the area will trigger the spell. If multiple creatures enter simultaneously, one will be targeted at random regardless of size. Only one creature can be the target of the trap.

Snare Attached to a Sapling

• A snare attached to a sapling or similar plant will entwine around one of the creatures limbs (no save). The limb entwined is determined by rolling a d6: 1.) Neck; 2.) Left leg; 3.) Right leg; 4.) Left arm; 5.) Right arm; 6.) Roll again. If the creature has more limbs or a tail, the GM will use a larger die to determine the limb, the legs and arms listed above will always be the fore-limbs. For example, a horse will require a d8 (6=left hind leg; 7=right hind leg; 8=tail).

• A snare attached to a sapling or similar plant that has entwined a limb of a Man-sized or smaller victim will whip upward, possibly dragging the victim such that it is suspended 10-ft. above the ground. Man-sized or smaller victims will take 1d6 points of damage and end up dangling from the entwined limb (restrained and immobile). Such a creature dangling from it's neck cannot breathe and must hold it's breath before beginning to suffocate.

• If the spell effect is caster level 7 or higher, Larger creatures will be partially bound and restrained but not otherwise incapacitated (per the GM). A Large creature targeted by a lower level snare is unaffected (the snare snaps and is rendered ineffective).

• Creatures entangled this way cannot use limbs to fly or climb.

Snare Not Attached to a Sapling

• A snare not attached to a sapling will simply entwine a Man-sized or smaller victim, entangling it, binding it's limbs (no save), and reducing the creature's land based movement to 25% of normal. Those bound cannot use limbs to cut the cord.

• If the spell effect is caster level 7 or higher, Larger creatures will be partially bound (per the GM). A Large creature targeted by a lower level snare is unaffected (the snare snaps and is rendered ineffective).

• Creatures entangled this way cannot use limbs to fly or climb. 

Duration. The spell is permanent until triggered by a creature entering the area of effect (or until the component is rendered unusable/decomposed; per the GM). The snare cannot be escaped by those affected for 12 hours with the following exceptions. After 12 hours, the cord disintegrates.

• A creature with an 18 to 18/00 Strength can escape the snare after 6 hours.

• A creature with higher than 18/00 Strength can escape in a time equal to 6 hrs minus 1 hour per full point of Strength (Str 19: 5 hrs; Str 20: 4 hrs; Str 21: 3 hrs; Str 22: 2 hrs; Str 23+: 1 hr which is the minimum time spent trapped by any creature affected).

• The cord of the snare can be cut and if cut, the magic ends and the creature is released. The cord can be cut by any magical slashing or cutting/chopping weapon (with a successful attack versus an AC 10). The cord can also be cut by a mundane slashing or cutting/chopping weapon (with a successful attack versus an AC 8).

Limitations

• A snare spell cannot have an overlapping area of effect with another snare spell (the older spell takes precedence and the newer spell is dispelled).

• Creatures not moving on the ground will not trigger the snare.

Material Components. Snake skin and sinew from a strong animal woven into a cord. In addition, mistletoe (or a substitute of holly or oak leaves) is required. Cost/Scarcity. Free/Common;

Holly or Oak leaves: Area of effect is limited to a maximum of 5-ft.

Known Additions/Substitutions. None.