Protection from Elementals, 10' Radius

(See also: Protection Spells) This spell covers a group of related effects. The one desired is selected when the spell is memorized. It creates a globe of protection, which protects all within from the direct attacks of one type of elemental creature. The sphere is centered on and mobile with the creature touched. If more elemental creatures attack than are protected against, the remaining ones can cross the barrier and attack. Forcing the protection against such creatures negates the protection. Otherwise, the effect of the spell varies with the caster's level.

Two factors rule the degree of protection. First, the total number of Hit Dice hedged out is 2 Hit Dice per level of the caster, to a maximum of 24 Hit Dice at 12th level.

Second, as the caster becomes more powerful, stronger elemental creatures can be hedged out. Thus, an 8th level caster can keep out elemental creatures with a total of 16 Hit Dice or less, as long as the creatures have less than 8 Hit Dice each.

At 7th level, creatures of a specific element with less than 8 Hit Dice can be hedged out.

At 9th level, the protection is extended to creatures of a specific element with less than 16 Hit Dice.

At 12th level, the protection is extended to creatures of a specific element with less than 24 Hit Dice. Further, the protection hedges out any type of elemental creature with 16 Hit Dice or less; thus, a 12th level priest who memorizes the air elemental version gains the ability to keep out earth elementals of 16 Hit Dice or less as well.

At 15th level, protection is extended to any elemental creature with 24 Hit Dice or less.

Elemental creatures with more Hit Dice, or exceeding the total Hit Dice limit, can pass the barrier. For example, if a 9th level priest's sphere is attacked by three 8 Hit Die elementals, one penetrates the barrier. A sphere attacked by a single 24 Hit Die elemental is penetrated as well. Note that attacks by elemental creatures based on their element are blocked, but other attacks might not be. Thus, while an efreet could not affect protected creatures with its wall of fire, it could shoot a bow, if it had one.

The material component is a piece of a substance that came from neither the Prime Material Plane nor any of the Elemental Planes.