Mindshatter (Enchantment/Charm)

Sphere: Thought

Range: 3 yards/level

Components: V, S, M

Duration: Special

Casting Time: 1 round

Area of Effect: One creature

Saving Throw: Neg.

This spell allows the priest to create one specific form of insanity in the subject. Five forms of insanity are possible through this spell.

Schizophrenia: This form of insanity is characterized by personality loss. The subject has no personality of his own, so he selects a role model and makes every possible attempt to behave like that character. The chosen role model will be as different from the subject as possible. (Thus, an insane wizard might begin to follow the habits of a warrior.) Obviously, a warrior who believes himself to be a wizard will be unable to cast spells (he might think that he's casting spells, or he might construct a sophisticated series of excuses explaining why he's "not in the mood for magic" at the moment). A character who emulates a member of another class does not gain any of the skills of that class and makes all attacks and saving throws as appropriate to his true class. Certain consequences might arise if the character's emulation causes him to break restrictions of his class. For example, a priest emulating a warrior might break his deity's prohibition against edged weapons, or a paladin might emulate a Neutral Evil thief. Both will suffer the appropriate consequences as if they had been compelled to violate their beliefs while charmed. Such characters will certainly have to atone for their actions once they return to normal.

Dementia praecox: The subject is totally uninterested in any undertaking. Nothing seems worthwhile, and the individual is lethargic and filled with tremendous feelings of boredom and dissatisfaction. No matter how important the situation, it is 50% likely that the subject will ignore it as meaningless.

Delusional insanity: The subject is convinced that he is a famous figure: a monarch, demi-god, or similar personage. Characters who fail to recognize the subject with the honor he deserves incur great hostility or disbelief. The subject acts appropriately to a station that he does not hold. He directs orders at real and imaginary creatures and draws upon resources that do not exist.

Paranoia: The subject is convinced that "they" (whoever they are) are spying on him and plotting against him. Everyone around the subject, even friends and allies, is part of the plot. If any other character acts in a way that the subject can interpret as reinforcing this delusion, the subject has a 20% chance of reacting with violence.

Hallucinatory insanity: The subject sees, hears, and otherwise senses things that do not exist. The more stressful the situation is to the subject, the more likely he will hallucinate. Although most hallucinations are external to the subject (that is, he perceives creatures, objects, and conditions that do not exist), there is a 10% chance that any hallucination will involve the subject's self-perception. For example, the subject might suddenly believe and act as if he had sprouted wings, grown to giant size, etc.

When this spell is cast by a priest of 13th level or lower, the DM chooses or randomly selects one of these forms of insanity (and should feel free to invent other interesting symptoms). If the priest is 14th level or higher, he can personally select the form of insanity to afflict the subject.

While under the effect of this spell, the subject can cast spells and use innate powers; the use of these abilities will be in accordance with the symptoms of the insanity, however. Player characters affected by this spell should be encouraged to role-play the appropriate effects to the limit.

The duration of this spell depends on the sum of the subject's Intelligence and Wisdom scores. A saving throw is allowed on a periodic basis depending on this total. The spell is broken if a successful saving throw is rolled. Refer to the table that follows.

Int+Wis
Time Between Checks
8 or less
1 month
9 to 18
3 weeks
19 to 24
2 weeks
25 to 30
1 week
31 to 35
3 days
36 or more
1 day

The effects of this spell can be removed by a limited wish, wish (or equally powerful magic), or by a heal spell cast for this specific purpose.

The material component is a small bust of a human head, about 3" in height, made from fine, delicate china. The priest shatters this bust during the casting.

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