Set the Path

(Alteration, Enchantment) Level: 2nd Range: Caster Components: V, S, M Duration: 3 rounds Casting Time: 2 Area of Effect: Caster Saving Throw: None Much of the modron way of thinking involves the clarity of order. Set forth a good plan, dont deviate from it, and everything will work out. The modrons foes often use this sort of thinking against them, since theyre not good at reacting to unforeseen circumstances. Nevertheless, this spell allows a modron to set forth a course of action and then follow through with focus and skill. When cast, the wizard states what his actions will be in the next three rounds. Once the magic is set into motion, he cannot deviate from this plan no matter what happens, and no matter what he wishes. For example, the caster might say that on the first round, he opens the portcullis blocking entrance to the next room and goes in. The second round, he attacks the guard inside the room. On the third round, he leaps over the pit in the middle of the room and reaches the far wall, where the object of his desire rests. The benefit given by the spell is that all actions committed to at the casting of the spell gain a bonus of +3 (or +15 percent) to any applicable rolls. In the example, if the door is assumed to be barred, the caster gains a +15 percent to his bend bars/lift gates roll. Then on the second round, he gains a +3 to attack and damage rolls as he strikes the guardian. On the third round he gains a +3 to his Dexterity as he makes an ability score check to leap over the pit. Of course, the above plan is based on many assumptions. The only thing that can cause a deviation from the declared plan is a failure to perform a stated action that then prevents the following actions from being attempted. If the bend bars/lift gates roll fails, the character is stuck outside the room, and must try again. If successful, the spell takes him into the room to attack the guard but then wears off before he reaches the pit (and since the spell is over, hes no longer obligated to leap over it). If his blow against the guard missed in the second round, however, he still has to attempt to jump over the pit, because the guard being alive doesnt preclude this. It might mean that the guard attempts to stop the caster or continues to attack him from behind, but the caster cant do anything about that. Further, if (after casting the spell) the above caster discovered that the portcullis was already raised, or there was no guard, he still must spend the round miming the action he had set out to do. The

absence of the opportunity to take a stated action is not the same as a failure. If circumstances or the action of another force the caster deviate from his stated course, he still makes all possible attempts to do what he planned in the order that he planned it-even if the action is impossible or nonsensical. Casters cannot put contingencies in the plan (if I kill the guard, then I jump over the pit) and must specify the order in which actions will be taken. The material component for this spell is a small, perfectly straight iron rod that is three inches long.