Symbol
of Pain
Range 30 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw no; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
This spell allows you to scribe a potent rune of power upon a surface.
When triggered, each creature within the radius of a symbol of pain
suffers wracking pains that impose a -4 penalty on attack rolls, skill
checks, and ability checks. These effects last for 1 hour after the
creature moves farther than 60 feet from the symbol.
Once triggered, the symbol becomes active and glows, lasting for 10
minutes per caster level. A creature that enters the area while the symbol
is active is subject to its effect, whether or not that creature was in
the area when it was triggered. A creature need save against the symbol
only once as long as it remains within the area, though if it leaves the
area and returns while the symbol is still active, it must save again.
Until it is triggered, the symbol is inactive (though visible and legible
at a distance of 60 feet). To be effective, a symbol must always be placed
in plain sight and in a prominent location. Covering or hiding the rune
renders the symbol ineffective, unless a creature removes the covering, in
which case the symbol works normally.
As a default, a symbol is triggered whenever a creature does one or more
of the following, as you select: looks at the rune; reads the rune;
touches the rune; passes over the rune; or passes through a portal bearing
the rune. Regardless of the trigger method or methods chosen, a creature
more than 60 feet from a symbol can’t trigger it (even if it meets one or
more of the triggering conditions, such as reading the rune). Once the
spell is cast, a symbol’s triggering conditions cannot be changed.
In this case, “reading” the rune means any attempt to study it, identify
it, or fathom its meaning. Throwing a cover over a symbol to render it
inoperative triggers it if the symbol reacts to touch. You can’t use a
symbol offensively; for instance, a touch-triggered symbol remains
untriggered if an item bearing the symbol is used to touch a creature.
Likewise, a symbol cannot be placed on a weapon and set to activate when
the weapon strikes a foe.
You can also set special triggering limitations of your own. These can be
as simple or elaborate as you desire. Special conditions for triggering a
symbol can be based on a creature’s name, identity, or alignment, but
otherwise must be based on observable actions or qualities. Intangibles
such as level, class, HD, and hit points don’t qualify.
When scribing a symbol, you can specify a password or phrase that prevents
a creature using it from triggering the symbol’s effect. Anyone using the
password remains immune to that particular rune’s effects so long as the
creature remains within 60 feet of the rune. If the creature leaves the
radius and returns later, it must use the password again.
You also can attune any number of creatures to the symbol, but doing this
can extend the casting time. Attuning one or two creatures takes
negligible time, and attuning a small group (as many as 10 creatures)
extends the casting time to 1 hour. Attuning a large group (as many as 25
creatures) takes 24 hours. Attuning larger groups takes an additional 24
hours per 25 creatures. Any creature attuned to a symbol cannot trigger it
and is immune to its effects, even if within its radius when it is
triggered. You are automatically considered attuned to your own symbols,
and thus always ignore the effects and cannot inadvertently trigger them.