Damage Effects

When combining multiple damage effects into the same spell, the chaos mage may never cause more than 2d8 hit points per chaos mage level. Thus, a 20th-level chaos mage could never cause more than 40d8 hit points of damage from a single spell, regardless of the number or types of damage effects he applied to the spell, and a 10th-level chaos mage is limited to 20d8 hit points of damage, total, for a given spell.

Raw Damage Effect

The most straightforward of all effects, raw damage is simply a rush of violent energy directed at one or more targets. Raw damage spells do 1d8 points of damage per caster level, though a chaos mage may intentionally cast them with less or a lesser dice.

Persistent Damage Effect

Rather than expend all its damage in a single blast of raw power, a spell can be crafted so it gradually increases the damage it causes upon an enemy until it reaches full potential. Spells of this effect element take longer to deliver damage, but are easier to cast than a single blast of raw chaos. The persistent damage effect causes 1d8 points of damage upon its target in the round it is cast, with the damage steadily increasing by 1d8 each subsequent round, until all of the available damage has been dealt. Persistent damage spells do a total of 1d8 per caster level, though a chaos mage may intentionally cast them with less dice. Persistent damage effects must have a duration in order to deliver their full damage. If a duration is not chosen for a persistent damage effect, it deals its initial blast of damage (one of the Hit Dice of damage caused by the effect), but no more.

Degrading Damage Effect

Spells of this effect type deliver an initial blast of magic that continues to damage the target over several rounds. Degrading damage spells do a total of 1d8 per caster level, though a chaos mage may intentionally cast them with less dice. On the round it is cast, a spell with degrading damage effects causes one half of its total dice of damage, rounded down. The damage dealt on the following round is one die less then the damage caused on the initial round, and subsequent round reduce the damage further by one die every round until no damage remains. Degrading damage provides a strong enhancement to the damage potential, but there are limitations. No spell using this effect element may cause over 30d8 damage in this effect. Degrading damage effects must have a duration in order to deliver their full damage. If a duration is not chosen for a degrading damage effect, it deals its initial blast of damage (one-half the Hit Dice of damage caused by the effect), but no more.

Appearances of Damage Causing Spells

Spells that make use of the damage effect element generate vivid visual effects that are unique to each caster. Eerily silent flames, roaring beams of venomous green energy, and roiling steams of colorless fluid have all been seen, but there are no limits as to the other types of manifestations that may exist. Game masters should work their players to determine a suitable appearance for their damage causing spells.

All chaos magic damage spells deal force damage as a default.

Damage Causing Spells and Saving throws

If the spell affects a target directly, use a will save to halve the damage dealt. If the spell affects the environment around a target, use a Reflex save.