[A to Z April] T is for Thord's Gore Reach (spell)

All Shiloru could do is stand by helplessly as her dwarven colleague Alakim was knocked backwards and into the cavern wall. Their foe’s eyes gleamed yellow in the darkness before them. The halfling held her hands out, first to keep her other colleagues from getting in her way and secondly to begin weaving a spell. She moved slightly to dodge yet another ghostly minotaur skull as it hurtled past her, then released her magic with a word of power.

As her spell plunged into the darkness, she heard a tortured cry, and then silence. Only then did she turn to see the tall human woman applying pressure to the dwarf’s wounds. He looked like he had been gored several times by a bull. All that Shiloru had seen, however, was a couple of ethereal skulls. She turned to peer into the darkness; “That’s powerful magic,” she thought to herself. “I must learn that spell....”

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Thord’s Gore Reach

Evocation (Force)
Level: Clr 3, War 3
Components: V,S,DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5ft./level)
Target: 1 creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

When cast, this spell creates a minotaur’s skull out of pure force. This skull surges forth from the caster’s hands in a straight line until it strikes the target, or, if a target has more than 75% cover, the target’s cover. Upon impact, the target takes 1d8 +caster’s Wisdom bonus in damage, Reflex save for half damage.

If the circumstances are such that the target would be susceptible to a charge or bull rush attack by the caster, those restrictions and bonuses may apply to a gore reach spell, including bull rush knockback and double damage from the gore reach attack. However, the distance and line-of-effect requirements must also be met. In addition, the caster may not have already moved in the round in which a gore reach attack is attempted.

This spell was originally created by Thord, a cunning minotaur cleric who had been crippled in battle, losing both legs. Needing a method by which he could still charge and gore his opponents, he petitioned his deity and, after much meditation and prayer, learned the gore reach effect, which has since become known by his name.

Material components: a small piece of minotaur horn.

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Last year's "T": T is for Thoklin Oroxel
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