SWAMP MAGIC From the pages of Dragon magazine
Original 3rd Edition design by James Jacobs, updated for 5th Edition by R P Davis
how it writhes, as if it were filled to the brim with insects
A
DVENTURERS WHO EXPLORE EXTREME
environments often employ highly and vermin.
specialized equipment to protect them
from the dangers they experience. As an action, you reach into the bag and pull out a handful
Magic, whether in spell or item, is a of vermin and hurl it at a point you can see within 60 feet
crucial part of an adventurer's gear. of you. When it lands, it explodes into a swarm of insects.
A swarm lasts for 10 minutes or until it's destroyed. The
Swamps and marshes are no exception. swarm is friendly to you and your companions, and it acts
Hot and humid swamps and marshes breed all manner of on your turn. You can use a bonus action to command
poisonous creatures. Magic that provides resistance or how the swarm moves and what action it takes on its next
protection against poison, like a protection from poison turn, or to give it general orders, such as to attack your
spell, is required; an explorer who doesn't prepare that spell enemies. In the absence of such orders, the swarm defends
deserves to die an agonizing death, and she almost certainly itself.
will. It isn't just the creatures—even the environment itself Once three swarms have been pulled from the bag, the bag
tries to kill you, whether you contract a fever or get sucked can't be used again until the next dawn.
into a bog. A periapt of health or ring of water walking is
worth more than a mountain of platinum. BLIGHT BRACERS
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
Even though items and spells like those listed above exist,
there's other magic specifically designed to aid swampland Blight bracers are fairly disgusting things to wear in civilized
explorers, some of which draw upon the latent magical areas, because they look as if they are made of fungus-
power of the wetland to provide deadly offensive riddled and rotten wood, and they stink of rotting
capabilities. That's what this book is about. vegetation. Still, in the swamps the bracers are
indispensible for their powerful magic against plants.
MAGIC ITEMS While you wear the bracers, you have advantage on
All the magic items listed below have the attack rolls you make against plants and plant
stated rarity in settlements on the edge of creatures, and you double whatever bonus you add
swamps and marshlands. In non-marshy to damage rolls you make when you score a hit
areas, the rarity is one step higher. against a planr ot plant creature. In addition, you
have advantage on saving throws you make
BAG OF ENDLESS SWARMS against attacks and effects from plant
Wondrous item, uncommon creatures. If a plant or plant creature
causes you to make a check to
This nondescript leather bag is cinched shut avoid a grapple or escape from a
tightly with a length of twine, and looks for all grapple, you have advantage on
the world like nothing more than a mundane belt that check. Finally, as an action
pouch. Look more closely, however, and you'll see you can use the bracers' power
to cast the blight spell. Once
1
you use this ability, you can't use it again until you finish a many people still seek it from the shamans who create it,
long rest. for the grog can give you a real kick—if you can survive
drinking it.
BOOTS OF SWAMPWALKING
Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement) As an action you can drink a dose of grog. You take 1d4
acid damage and must make a Constitution saving throw,
While you wear these boots, you're immune to all forms of the DC of which is 15 + the number of previous doses of
disease, supernatural or otherwise. In addition, the boots grog you've imbibed since you finished your last long rest.
keep you clean of filth, mud, and grime, as though a On a failure, you are poisoned. You can repeat the saving
prestidigitation spell is constantly keeping you tidy and throw at the end of each of your turns, ending the effect on
presentable. While wearing the boots, you can stand on yourself on a success.
and move across any liquid surface as if it were solid
ground. Finally, as an action you can cast the transport via If you don't die from drinking the appalling stuff, for 10
plants spell. Once you use this ability, you can't use it again minutes you increase your Strength score by 2 (up to a
until you finish a long rest. maximum of 20), you reduce your Wisdom score by 2 (up
to a minimum of 3), and you gain 2d6 temporary hit
CLOAK OF THE LIZARDFOLK points.
Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)
This cloak is made from the shed skin of a lizardfolk
which was magically treated to retain the properties it
had in life. Lizardfolk druids create these cloaks and
present them as gifts to important allies.
If you're not a lizardfolk the cloak makes you
appear more than a little reptilian while you wear
it. The cloak tapers into a long tail which provides
assistance in balancing.
As long as you wear the cloak, you have a +2 bonus
to your AC, and your Strength and Constitution
scores increase by 1, to a maximum of 20. In
addition, you can hold your breath twice as long as
normal. Finally, the counterbalance provided by
the tail-like extension gives you advantage on
checks you make to keep your balance, jump, and
swim.
Lizardfolk are inclined to accept a creature who
wears a cloak of the lizardfolk. You have advantage on
Charisma checks you make when you deal with
lizardfolk.
MAANVAKI GROG
Wondrous item, uncommon
A particularly disgusting homebrew created in
bayou shacks on many worlds of the Material Plane,
2
The summoned creatures are friendly to you and your
SPELLS companions. Roll initiative for the summoned creatures as
Special Note. The class lists on which a spell might be a group, which has its own turns. They obey any verbal
found are included in the spell’s stat block. As always, the commands that you issue to them (no action required by
existence of any spell, much less which class list in appears you). If you don't issue any commands to them, they
on, is up to you as Dungeon Master. defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise
take no actions. The DM has the creatures' statistics.
Some swamp spells are developed by master spellcrafters
ensconced in traditional high towers in civilized lands. The QUAGMIRE VORTEX
closest these magics come to the swamp is the rare 9th-level evocation
ingredients they require which can only be found deep in
the wet marshlands. Most, however, are created by the Casting Time: 1 action
denizens of swamps, those peoples native to the wet and Range: 300 feet
noisome places of the world. Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
FENGUT Class: Druid
1st-level illusion
You can cast this spell only when you're deep in a swamp
Casting Time: 1 action or marsh; the entirety of the spell's area must be located in
Range: 60 feet the swamp or the spell fails.
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute When you cast the spell, choose a point you can see within
Class: Sorcerer, Wizard range. An 80-foot-radius section of swamp centered on
that point slurps into motion, forming a huge whirlpool.
Choose a living creature you can see within range. That The violent motion of the vortex knocks down creatures,
creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, pulls down trees and structures, and inexorably pulls
you cause the target's stomach to suddenly feel like it's full anything caught in its area toward its center.
of foul swamp mud. Its system is overcome with the smell
and taste of rotting, disgusting vegetation and slimy small When a creature enters the area for the first time on a turn
creatures. For the duration, the target is poisoned and or starts its turn there, it must make a Strength saving
incapacitated. throw. On a failure, it falls prone.
Structures collapse unless they're made of
GATORSWARM stone.
6th-level conjuration (ritual)
At the beginning of each of its turns, a
Casting Time: 1 action prone creature is pushed in the
Range: 120 feet same circular pattern around the
Components: V, S center of the vortex at a speed of 30
Duration: 1 round/level (D) feet, and is drawn 10 feet closer
Class: Druid to the vortex's center. It takes
5d8 bludgeoning damage from
You can only cast this spell when debris spinning in the vortex.
you're in a swamp or similar At the end of each of its turns,
environment. When you do, you it can repeat the saving throw.
summon exceptionally irritated giant On a success, it stands
crocodiles from the surrounding swamp. upright.
You summon a number of crocs equal to
your Wisdom modifier (minimum 1).
3
A creature that hasn't been knocked prone is slowed. RAISE HUMMOCK
5th-level transmutation (ritual)
When a creature reaches the center of the vortex, it is
pulled down into the mud at a rate of 20 feet per round to Casting Time: 10 minutes
a maximum depth of 80 feet. Creatures below the surface Range: 150 feet
of the vortex can swim back toward the surface by making Area: Two 5-ft. squares/level (S)
a DC 20 Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, it swims Components: V, S, M (1,000 gp of powdered gemstones,
10 feet up. which are consumed in the casting)
Once the spell's duration ends, the vortex instantly calms Duration: Instantaneous
and the slurry-like, soupy quagmire solidifies into set clay, Class: Sorcerer, Wizard
trapping anything which was sucked down into it. It's Choose a point you can see within range. You cause a 20-
likely that anything—or anyone—which was pulled down foot-radius area to rise up out of the swamp into a low
into the vortex is never seen again. mound of dry land. Any trees or other natural features in
the area when you cast the spell are raised up as part of the
hummock. The raised land is fertile soil for crops, thanks
to being dried swampland, and it is solid enough to erect a
building on it.
Hardy swamp wizards use this spell to create private
artificial islands deep in swamps.
4
CREDITS
ART
Cover template by Matthew Gravelyn. Interior art courtesy of Wizards of the Coast Creator Art Packs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
R P Davis is a best-selling freelance writer, editor, and adventure designer. He has been a tabletop RPG player and referee
the entire time he’s been sentient, and a role-playing addict for more than 30 years. In that time he’s written countless
things, from simple spells and effects to complete game worlds to complete roleplaying games.
You can find R P Davis on Patreon, Facebook, Twitter, and his website. Stay informed by signing up for the newsletter!
R P Davis is the creative brain behind products like these (click for links):
DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms,
Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast
product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the
USA and other countries.
This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors.
Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for
Dungeon Masters Guild.
All other original material in this work is copyright 2019 by R P Davis / Goose Valley
Games and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters
Guild.
