Misfortune

(See also: Misfortune)

Note: This spell first appeared in the Hellbound: The Blood War boxed set, and were designed for fiendish spellcasters. DMs must give specific permission for PCs to have access to these lower-planar dweomers.

This spell is much like the priest spell curse, but its effects last longer and often can be more deadly. Basically, it turns the target creature into a lodestone for bad luck and calamity. Each turn, there's a 25% chance that something will go wrong for the target. Magical items fizzle, spells go awry, ropes fray at critical junctures, a bruiser picks a fight with the target, and so on. Misfortune doesn't cause physical harm to the target; it just increases the chance of such harm coming from other sources.

The DM must carefully adjudicate the use of misfortune. One option is to impose penalties (anywhere from -1 to -3) to the target's attack rolls, initiative rolls, or saving throws, though not all three at once. But the best method is just to play up the ill effects that arise whenever the target tries to perform an action, from lacing up a boot to casting a complex spell.

Misfortune is a highly useful tool in any army's infiltration and espionage efforts. A well-placed spell can cause so many problems that an invading force can march in quickly — not to mention that the chaos unleashed disrupts even the most disciplined forces.

Misfortune can't be cast on items. To impart the power of the spell, the caster must touch or make a successful attack against the target.