### Thunderlance (Evocation) (Force) **Level:** 4 **Components:** V,S **Range:** Touch **Casting Time:** 4 segments **Duration:** See below **Saving Throw:** None **Area of Effect:** One creature Explanation/Description: Casting this spell brings into being a thin shaft of faint grey, shimmering force extending 2" from the caster's pointing finger. This "lance" is weightless and intangible, but if any creature touches or passes through any part of it, the lance vanishes with a loud clap of thundes; and the creature struck is dealt 4-24 hit points of damage. The lance may be willed Out of existence by its caster at any time without any discharge or harm to the caster (although the spell is lost), and disappears in any event if the caster dies, loses consciousness, or begins to cast another spell. The caster can employ the thunderlance in many ways - held steady as a barrier against some creature's passage or as a tripwire, at ankle height, to stop a pursuer. It is also highly effective when wielded as a weapon; the caster can move his arm and finger about to strike with the lance. In any combat situation against a thunderlance potential victims are regarded as having a base armor class of 10 (before any dexterity adjustments); the blow of the lance is transmitted through armor and shields, and the presence of such protection does not benefit the target of a thunderlance attack. However; the bonuses of magic armor and shields are not negated, and will improve a target's effective AC by the amount of the bonus. The damage of the lance is a physical blow, as opposed to (for instance) a discharge of electricity. It is fully effective against creatures that are resistant or immune to either blunt weapons or edged weapons (since the lance is actually neither of those). The touch of a thunderlance destroys a [[Shield]] spell, [[Wall of Force]], or [[Minor Globe Of Invulnerability]], but the lance itself discharges (vanishes, without damaging anyone) upon such contact. Stronger protective spells (such as [[Antimagic Shell]]) will also cause the lance to discharge, but will themselves withstand the shock of its strike and remain in existence. A lance penetrates fire, water (including ice and snow), and electrical discharges of natural or magical (e.g., [[Wall of Fire]], [[Wall of Ice]]) origin without discharging, and thus the caster may strike through such phenomena at an enemy. Anyone wielding a thunderlance (i.e., spellcasting is complete, but the lance has not yet discharged) cannot be harmed by [[Magic Missile]] spells, regardless of what direction these strike from - their force passes harmlessly through the lance wielder to be absorbed by the lance, increasing the damage it does (by 2-5 hp per missile) when it discharges. This will not occur if the lance wielder has some other magical protection against [[Magic Missile]]s. A lance does not confer any protection against other forms of magical attack, nor can it be passed to any other creature without discharging it - an ally of the caster cannot wield the lance on the caster's behalf. The material component of this spell is a small, silver spear. Notes: Uncommon spell from the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting. Known to be in Aubayreer s Workbook.