Wastequake

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.

Designed to work only on the Gray Waste, the wastequake spell is the province of powerful mages. Similar to the priest spell earthquake, wastequake opens the ground beneath the target creatures, causing it to buck and heave and create general mayhem.

The quake lasts for three rounds.

During the first round, the ground ripples; any creatures standing on the surface must make a saving throw versus paralyzation at a -4 penalty. Those that succeed retain their footing; those that fail are knocked flat.

During the second round, a gaping rift opens in the soil of the Waste. Any creatures that were knocked down in the first round must save versus spell at a -4 penalty or be pitched into the yawning chasm. Any creatures that kept their footing in the first round must save versus spell at a -2 penalty or they, too, tumble into the fissure.

During the third round, the rift closes and the quake subsides. Creatures on the surface suffer no further damage. Any creatures that fell into the chasm suffer 15d6 points of damage. They're also buried below the ground, at a depth equal to the caster's level x 10 (in feet). Those that still live can try to dig their way back to the surface.

Wastequake, oddly enough, does not affect permanent structures (such as those made of stone or wood), though it consumes tents and impromptu huts. Thus, a canny fiend can lure its enemies into the courtyard of its palace, then rip open the ground beneath them without worrying about damaging the fortress.

The material component of wastequake is a handful of soil from the Gray Waste. The wizard must shake the dirt in one hand while casting the spell.