The caster projects a Web of Blackness, similar to a spider web in construction, from his fingertips at a target (hex or object or character). Any objects or entities standing between the caster and the target (within a 5 foot wide path) are ensnared by the web along with the target unless they make a Luck save. Those ensnared are held in spider web-like bands of black silk.
Affected creatures suffer 2d6 cold damage each round (Magic save for half) starting on the round after they are ensnared (i.e., no damage the round that they are entangled).
The web may not target more targets than the caster's rank.
There are two common ways of breaking out of the web, break free with strength or cut the webs. Note that if someone attempts to teleport out of the webs, the webs will teleport with them.
In order to cut the web, a character must successfully strike it with a long edged weapon (sword or axe but not a dagger) and inflict at least 6 points of damage in a single strike. The web strands have an effective protection (PROT) equal to the caster's rank divided by 3 and rounded up (i.e., PROT 1 at ranks 1-3, PROT 2 at ranks 4-6, etc.). Thus, if the spell is cast at rank 7, the strike must cause 9 points of damage to cut the strand (6 points of damage plus 3 points of PROT).
To break free of a web using strength, the trapped character must make a Bend Bars roll. The roll is reduced by (rank - 10). Thus, at ranks 1 through 9, the target gains a bonus to their Bend Bars roll. At rank 10, they must make a straight Bend Bars roll. At ranks 11 and higher, they suffer a penalty. If their chance of success is 0 or less, they have no hope of breaking free on their own and must wait for the spell duration to end or for someone to help them. One attempt per round can be made to break free. If the roll is made by half or less, the target has half the round remaining to act. Otherwise it takes a full round to break free.
Note that a Web of Entanglement was never intended to hold creatures with greater than human strength. Those with a STR of 26 or higher suffer no rank penalty to their chance of breaking free and also gain a bonus of ((STR - 25) x 5) to their Bend Bars roll. Thus, someone with a 27 STR (Bend Bars of 40%) would have a 50% chance to break free each round.
As with other webs, a Web of Blackness can also be burned away, though that will cause damage to the ensnared creature. Exactly how much depends on the nature of how the web is burned. |