4th-Level Spells

Cause Insanity (Necromancy) Reversible

Sphere: Necromantic, Thought

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Permanent

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: Creature touched

Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell drives a victim insane. The DM may consult the madness table in Chapter Three or choose a form of insanity to suit the wicked caster. A death priest, for instance, might inflict a victim with an exaggerated fear of dying (requiring the character to make a saving throw vs. paralyzation to avoid the effects of a fear spell whenever he or she encounters a cadaver, human bones, a graveyard, or even an open coffin). Alternatively, the victim might become convinced that all corpses were undead, waiting to rip him or her to shreds. In a combat situation, a death priest will probably choose to quickly neutralize an opponent with an incapacitating form of insanity, such as confusion or feeblemindedness. The insanity is permanent and cannot be dispelled except by casting cure insanity (the reverse), heal, restoration, or wish.

The reverse of this spell immediately cures insanity due to most causes (no saving throw). The spell must be administered while the patient is exhibiting insane symptoms. Cure insanity can heal a conscious victim of the effects of hallucinatory spores and repair psychic trauma (resulting from a mindwipe or other psionic assault). The spell also diminishes psychic exhaustion (restoring 5–40 PSPs). It cures madness resulting from spells (such as confusion, chaos, contact other plane, feeblemind, symbol of insanity, and prismatic spray, wall, or sphere) and also heals the insanity caused by certain magical items (such as an elixir of madness or a scarab of insanity). However, the spell will not control aberrant behaviors caused by lycanthropy, undeath, or powerful curses (such as a geas or quest). Finally, at the DM’s discretion, cure insanity may temporarily calm the demented behavior of certain extraplanar creatures (such as slaad).

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