It's Cinco de Mayo! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!

Cinco de Mayo is celebration of and for Mexican/Americans across the United States. In Mexico it's the celebration of a small force Mexican troops and native Zapotec and Mixtec warriors repelled the French Army when it attempted to invade the Mexican state of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is not celebrated on the wide scale seen in the U.S., but is rather a regional holiday limited to Puebla.

In observance of Cinco de Mayo, here are some spells for d20 System games. This entire post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with it.. Whether you're celebrating in Puebla, in the U.S. (where some cheeky folks refer to it as Drinko de Mayo), these spells embody the spirit of the day... and would work in a magical-realism setting or any other kind of world where magic exists.

New Spells for Cinco de Mayo Celebrations (and Beyond)

By L.L. Hundal

Celebratory Vigor
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Bard 1, Cleric 1, Paladin 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: Up to three creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart
Duration: 1 minute
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Paladin

You invoke the spirit of celebration, filling your allies with renewed energy and joy. Choose up to three creatures within range. Each target gains temporary hit points equal to 1d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier and has advantage on the next ability check they make before the spell ends.
   At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st, and the temporary hit points increase by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.

Unity's Strength
Abjuration
Level: Bard 2, Cleric 2, Paladin 2
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Paladin, Ranger

You create a mystical bond between yourself and your allies, allowing you to share strength in times of need. Choose up to five willing creatures within range (you can choose yourself). Until the spell ends, whenever one of the chosen creatures takes damage, you can use your reaction to have another chosen creature within range take that damage instead. The damage can't be reduced or prevented in any way when transferred this way.
   Additionally, chosen creatures have advantage on saving throws against being frightened while they remain within 30 feet of at least one other chosen creature.
   At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, you can choose one additional creature for each slot level above 2nd.

 

Banner of Victory
Conjuration (Creation)
Level: Bard 3, Cleric 3, Paladin 3, Sorcerer/Wizard 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: One magical banner
Duration: 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

You conjure a magical banner that appears in an unoccupied space you can see within range. The banner is a Medium object with AC 15, hardness 5, and 10 hit points per caster level. It is immune to poison and mind-affecting effects.
   The banner sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and shadowy illumination for an additional 20 feet. Allies within the bright light gain the following benefits:

 
   A +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and saving throws
  A +2 morale bonus on saving throws against fear and charm effects
  A +10-foot enhancement bonus to base land speed

  As a move action on your turn, you can move the banner up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.
Material Component: A piece of cloth worth at least 1 gp.

Circle of Ancestors
Divination
Level: Bard 5, Cleric 5, Druid 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 30-ft.-radius emanation centered on a point in space
Duration: 8 hours
Classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Wizard

You call upon the wisdom and protection of ancestral spirits, creating a sacred space. Choose a point you can see within range. For the duration, a 30-foot-radius sphere centered on that point becomes protected by ancestral guardians.
   Creatures of your choice within the sphere gain the following benefits:

   They have advantage on Wisdom checks and Wisdom saving throws
   They can't be surprised
   They have resistance to psychic damage
   Once per turn, when a creature in the sphere hits with an attack roll, 

       they can add 1d6 to the damage roll

   Additionally, you can cast augury or divination without expending a spell slot while within the sphere, though you must still provide material components.
   If you cast this spell in the same location every day for one year, the effect becomes permanent in that location.
   Material Component: Incense worth at least 25 gp, which the spell consumes.

Click here to see celebrations of Cinco de Mayo at our sister blog, Shades of Gray!

A new spell for d20 System Games: Mystic Pogo Stick!

Mystic Pogo Stick is a 1st-level spell that was originally devised for inclusion in the forthcoming book Mystic Moot and his Magic Snoot. However, it was decided that it didn't quite fit the source material, so it was cut. (We also got rid of listing Mystic Chopper and Mystic Limousine as spells that can be cast using Mystic Body Parts, like a snoot.)

The following text is released under the Open Game License and it may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2022 by Steve Miller.

MYSTIC POGO STICK
Conjuration (Creation)

Level: Arcane (Sor/Wiz) 1

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 0 ft.

Effect: One or more quasi-real pogo sticks

Duration: 10 minutes/level (D)

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: No

You conjure a quasi-real pogo stick. The pogo stick can be used only by you or the one person for whom you specifically create the stick. A mystic pogo stick looks like a pogo stick covered in glitter and swirled, bright colors, but you can make it appear more mundane or spectacular as you wish.

The mystic pogo stick has a hardness of 5, and 20 hit points +1 hit point per caster level. If it loses all its hit points, the mystic pogo stick disappears. A mystic pogo stick has a top horizontal speed of 20 feet per caster level, and can propel the user up to 5 feet vertically per caster level into the air; an initiative modifier of +0, and a maneuver modifier of +1.

Users can leap onto raised areas using a mystic pogo stick, landing upright and able to successfully continue bouncing along on the stick upon making a successful Reflex save (DC10) upon landing. If the saving throw fails, they lose all actions for the rest of the round, but may choose to resume traveling on the pogo stick the following round. A character on a mystic pogo stick can take no actions other than bounce along while he or she is traveling, but if he or she has the Dodge, Improved Dodge, and/or the Mobility feat, the benefits gained are doubled.

Generally speaking, the mystic pogo stick only functions effectively on dry, hard, flat surfaces, such as pavement or flagstones. If used on wet surfaces, or packed earth, cobblestones, and other hard but uneven surfaces, the horizontal movement rate is decreased to 10 feet per caster level and the user must make a successful Balance skill check (DC12) each round of travel or the pogo stick slips and the character falls prone, suffering 1d4 points of damage and loses all actions for the following round.

The mystic pogo stick gains certain powers according to caster level. Its abilities include those of pogo sticks of lower caster levels.

   3rd Level: The mystic pogo stick can travel on wet or uneven surfaces without a reduction in movement rates (vertical or horizontal) without the need for skill checks.
   4th Level: You may now conjure up to 3 mystic pogo stick.
   5th Level: The mystic pogo stick can bounce across sandy, muddy, or even swampy ground without difficulty or decrease in speed.
   6th Level: You may now conjure up to 5 mystic pogo stick.
   7th Level: The mystic pogo stick can bounce across water as if it were firm, dry ground.
   8th Level: You may now conjure up to 7 mystic pogo stick.
   9th Level: The mystic pogo stick can ride in the air as if it were firm land, so chasms and the like can be crossed without benefit of a bridge. The phantom chopper cannot take off and fly. It can only ride horizontally across the air. After 3 rounds in the air, the pogo stick falls.
   10th Level: You may now conjure up to 9 mystic pogo sticks.
   11th Level: As the 9th level power, but the pogo stick can move across the air for 6 rounds.

From the School of Typomancy...

Here's a spell from the little-known School of Typomancy. Spells of this nature are generally discovered when game designers and writers type too fast and/or don't bother proof-reading text before letting editors see it

LIGHTNING BLOT (1st level, Bard, Sorcerer, Wizard)

Components: V

Casting Time: 1 standard action

Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Area of Effect: 10 ft radius

Effect: Burst of light and static electricity

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: See below

Spell Resistance: Yes

Creatures within the area of effect must roll Fortitude saves or suffer 1d3+1 point of electrical damage and be dazzled for one minute. If the saving throw is successful, the targets suffer no damage, but all their hair stands on end as they are subjected to extreme static electricity. This persists for ten minutes or until they touch another person or being, inflicting 1 point of damage upon the person touched, and suffering 1 point themselves. (If the touched being rolls a successful Fortitude save, it suffers no damage.)

The text in this post is released under the Open Game License and may be reproduced in accordance with its terms. Copyright 2020 Steve Miller.