“Sometimes the only thing you could do for people was
to be there.”
― Soul Music
 |
| Tenser |
This is not to say that Tenser is stupid. Or particularly martial. Not at all. While
he did create a few spells that were meant to transform himself into a formidable
fighting machine (Tenser’s Transformation and Tenser’s Staff of Smiting,
come to mind), the lion share of his creations were supportive in nature, their
purpose focussed on augmenting his warlike companions’ physical abilities, prowess, and martial
skills. Clever. The quicker the tanks dropped those who threatened his own personal
wellbeing the better, he obviously surmised. And the longer they stayed up in a fight the more likely they were to survive the melee. Him too, by association. Thus, his spells improved their night
vision, steadied their aim, waxed their strength; and in some cases, protected them
from harmful magics that might take them out of the fight. He did create other spells, though, that might be considered useful
to dungeon delvers: his eponymous Floating Disk, for instance. Loot is useless
if you can’t lug it out from the depths, left lying about for others to discover and abscond with before you could return to collect what you could not carry. But mostly, though, his spells augment the prowess of his companions. You’d think that Tenser might have spent an
inordinate amount of time in the company of rather rash fighters, those courageous
types who blundered in against all opponents with abandon, whatever their size
and however formidability they might be…
“Most of you are familiar with the name Robilar, and
perhaps a few have knowledge of his brother, Terik. It was in this company, and
with Merlynd as well, that I first ventured to the Isle of the Ape...” [WG6 – 6]
That sort of reckless abandon could promote a problem for
Tenser’s lesser resilience and physical formidability, to say nothing of his continued wellbeing. Tenser reckoned that Robilar
and Terik might need a little boost from time to time, if that would keep him alive and kicking, so he did his
damnedest to do just that.
There was a
problem, albeit a small one: If Robilar and Terik had a habit of charging into those
clouds of gases and fireball blasts Tenser might cast in combat, without heed of the warnings he
might bellow at them that it was unwise to so so, then he had best focus on transforming
them into veritable maelstroms of whirling steel, instead.
So he did.
Let’s see how he did, then, shall we?
Although
individual wizards of the Circle have developed their own spells, which are
predominantly of one type (e.g. Tenser and Drawmij have their own spells which
are mostly of the alteration [transmutation] school), all of them are
considered as general (non-specialist) wizards. [COG:FFF – 21]
Level One
Tenser’s Eye of the Tiger
Tenser's Floating Disc
Tenser’s Steady Aim
Level Two
Tenser’s Brawl
Tenser’s Hunting Hawk
Tenser’s Deadly Strike
Tenser’s Eye of the Eagle
Level Four
Tenser’s Flaming Blade
Tenser’s Giant Strength
Tenser’s Master of Arms
Tenser’s Running Warrior
Tenser’s Staff of Smiting
Level Five
Tenser’s Destructive Resonance
Tenser’s Primal Fury
Level Six
Tenser’s Fortunes of War
Tenser's Transformation
Level 8
Tenser’s Lift (4e)
Level 9
Tenser’s Binding (4e 10th level)
True Dweomer
Tenser’s Telling
Blow
[PHB 1e – 126/GA – 128/ Dragon #366 – 32/ Wizard’s Spell Compendium IV/
Return of the 8 – 42]
Tenser’s Eye of the Tiger (Alteration)
Level: 1
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 1 round
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Creature touched
Explanation/Description: By casting this spell, the
mage can endow a creature with superior night vision equal to that of a great
cat. The creature will be able to see in dim light up to a range of 30 feet and
notice moving objects 60 feet away. Under conditions of total darkness, the
creature can note moving objects slightly better. A creature who does not
possess the blind-fighting proficiency is granted the proficiency while the
spell is in effect, and a creature who already knows the art of blind-fighting
will fight in the dark at only -1 to hit. The material components are a tiger’s
whisker and ground carrot.
[GA – 69]
Tenser's Floating Disc (Evocation)
Level: 1
Components: V, S, M
Range: 2"
Casting Time: 1 segment
Duration: 3 turns + 1 turn/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Special
Explanation/Description: With this spell, the caster
creates the circular plane of null-gravity known as Tenser's Floating Disc
after the famed wizard of that appellation (whose ability to locate treasure
and his greed to recover every copper found ore well known). The disc is
concave, 3' in diameter, and holds 1,000 g.p. weight per level of the
magic-user casting the spell. The disc floats at approximately 3' above the
ground at all times and remains level likewise. It maintains a constant
interval of 6' between itself and the magic-user if unbidden. It will otherwise
move within its range, as well as along with him at a rate of 6", at the
command of the magic-user. If the spell caster moves beyond range, or if the
spell duration expires, the floating disc winks out of existence and whatever
it was supporting is precipitated to the surface beneath it. The material
component of the spell is a drop of mercury.
[PHB 1e – 68,69]
 |
| Tenser’s Steady Aim |
Level: 1
Components: V, S, M
Range: Special
Casting Time: 1 segment
Duration: 1 turn/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One person (fighters only)
Explanation/Description: This spell will aid a moving
archer or crossbowman with a steady shooting hand. No matter how fast the
archer is moving or how unsteady his motion, the fighter will suffer no attack
penalty on shots made with device-propelled missiles. The spell provides no
archery bonuses. The material component is a small coiled spring.
[GA – 69]
Tenser’s Brawl (Alteration)
Level: 2
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 2 segments
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Spellcaster
Explanation/Description: This spell grants the
recipient greater prowess in weaponless combat. The fighter gains a +2 bonus to
hit with all pummeling, grappling, or overbearing attacks. The fighter receives
a + 2 initiative bonus for pummeling attacks and a 10% bonus to stun an
opponent. The fighter suffers no initiative penalty when performing a grappling
attack, and any grappling hold achieved by the fighter is more secure, so the
held creature attacks at -4. The material component for the spell is a bit of
chest fur from a bear or gorilla.
[GA – 69]
 |
| Tenser’s Hunting Hawk |
Level: 2
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 2 segments
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One arrow
Explanation/Description: When this spell is cast upon
an arrow, the missile gains a special dweomer that changes the arrow into a
hunting hawk as the arrow leaves the bow. The hunting hawk: AC 6; Move 33“; HD
1; hp 6; #AT 3; Dmg 1-20-24 THACO 19; AL N.
The hawk’s first strike is a swooping attack, striking
at +2 bonus to hit with its claw attacks doing double damage, but no beak
attack is allowed. Thereafter, the hawk will continue to attack opponents as
the caster orders, for one round per level of experience of the caster, or
until the hawk is destroyed. If a magic arrow has hunting hawk cast upon it,
then the hawk retains whatever magical bonuses the arrow had, including attack
or damage bonuses, so a hawk formed from an arrow +2 will also be +2 on all
attack and damage rolls. An arrow of slaying cannot be affected by the spell.
When the spell’s duration ends, the affected arrow disappears permanently. The
material component is a wing feather.
[GA – 69]
Tenser’s Deadly Strike (Alteration)
Level: 3
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 3 segments
Duration: 3 rounds + 1d6
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Spellcaster
Explanation/Description: This spell improves the
martial prowess of the caster. All melee attacks made by the caster are at the
usual chance to hit, but every successful attack does maximum damage to the
opponent for the duration of the spell. The spell will work in combination with
any other magic that enhances fighting ability. The spell only affects
hand-held melee weapons or hurled weapons, but not device-propelled missile
weapons. The material component is a full set of tiger claws.
[GA – 69]
Tenser’s Eye of the Eagle (Alteration)
Level: 3
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 1 round
Duration: 1 turn/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Person touched (fighters only)
Explanation/Description: This spell endows a fighter
with superior eyesight that also grants expert weapon use. The range of the
person’s vision is effectively doubled, even in combination with infravision or
normal vision. This advantage dramatically improves accuracy at great
distances. In addition, the fighter gains a +2 bonus to hit at the weapon’s
normal ranges. The material components are a few feathers from the head of an
eagle and ground carrot.
[GA – 69]
 |
| Tenser’s Flaming Blade |
Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: 2”
Casting Time: 4 segments
Duration: 3 rounds + 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One dagger
Explanation/Description: This spell will endow a
dagger with the power of flame or frost, as chosen by the caster. Each power
has an effect as described below.
Flame: The blade ignites like a torch, casting light in a 30-foot radius. The flame will ignite any combustibles which the blade contacts. The blade gains no magical bonus, but will inflict an additional point of damage in melee. The blade does three additional points of damage against cold-based creatures, so a flaming dagger will inflict 1d4 + 3 damage to a yeti.Frost: The blade glows with a cold blue aura that sheds light in a 10-foot radius. The blade has no magical bonus, but will do one extra point of damage when it hits. The frost blade will do three extra points of damage against a fire-based creature, such as a salamander or fire grue. The blade can also freeze up to one cubic foot of water per round when the blade is in contact with water.
The spell will have no effect on a weapon that already
has a flame or frost capability. The material component for the spell is
phosphorous to produce a flame blade or quartz crystal to create a frost blade.
[GA – 70]
Tenser’s Giant Strength (Alteration)
Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 1 turn
Duration: 3 turns/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Person touched
Explanation/Description: This improvement of the
strength spell empowers the recipient with superhuman physical strength. The
strength gained depends on the experience level of the caster, as shown below.
Mage’s Level Increase Strength To:7th 169th 1712th 18/0113th 18/7514th 18/9015th 18/0016th + 19
Those with strength already greater than the spell’s
effect get one more point of strength. Neither permanency nor a wish can make
the strength permanent. The material component is a bit of hair from a giant or
a titan.
[GA – 70]
Tenser’s Master of Arms (Alteration)
Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 4 segments
Duration: 1 turn/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Fighter touched (fighters only)
Explanation/Description: This spell, when bestowed
upon a fighter, improves the fighter’s skill with one melee weapon. A weapon
with which the fighter is not proficient becomes a weapon of proficiency in the
character’s hands. A weapon of proficiency is treated as a weapon of
specialization. There is no double weapon specialization allowed with the spell
effect. The spell will only affect fighters and fighter sub-class characters.
The material component for master of arms is a feather from a crane.
[GA – 70]
Tenser’s Running Warrior (Alteration)
Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: 60 yds
Casting Time: 4 segments
Duration: 1 turn/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One person
Explanation/Description: This spell will improve a
person’s ability in a running battle. First, the person is granted a movement
rate of 150 yards, regardless of the encumbrance of armor or goods carried by
the character. Second, no matter how far the person moves during a melee round,
the person is still entitled to the same number of melee attacks as he or she
normally receives. If the character was entitled to 2/1 attacks per round, the
fighter could now move 60 yards, attack one foe, move another 90 yards and
attack a second creature. The material component is a bit of fur from a live
wolf.
[GA – 70]
 |
| Tenser’s Staff of Smiting |
Level: 4
Components: V, S, M
Range: 0
Casting Time: 4 segments
Duration: 2 rounds/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: The mage’s staff
Explanation/description: This spell increases the
effectiveness of the caster’s staff when used in melee. The spell will work
only on non-magical staves. The spell adds a + 1 bonus to hit and a +4 on
damage rolls. The material component is a small iron bar.
[GA – 70]
Tenser’s Destructive Resonance (Invocation/Evocation)
Level: 5
Components: V, S, M
Range: 60 yds + 10 yds/level
Casting Time: 5 segments
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Special
Area of Effect: Special
Explanation/description: When this spell is cast, a thin beam of destructive blue force springs forth from the caster's fingertip and strikes any one object within range. The beam imparts an immense amount of energy to the struck object, causing it to spontaneously explode. Large massive objects have more potential destructive energy than small, lightweight objects, but the wizard must hold the beam on a larger object or a longer time in order to cause detonation.
The beam has
two principal effects:
First of all,
the object struck is disintegrated if it fails its item saving throw.
Secondly, any
creature near the destroyed item suffers damage proportional to the weight of
the item detonated, plus blast damage of 1d6 points per two caster levels.
Creatures caught within the blast radius may attempt a saving throw vs.
paralyzation for half damage (1 point per caster level), but the base damage of
the explosion may not be saved against.
|
Weight (lbs) |
Resonance
Time |
Base Damage |
Explosive
Radius |
|
1-5 |
Instant |
1d8 |
2ft |
|
6-25 |
Instant |
1d12 |
3ft |
|
26-100 |
1 round |
1d20 |
5ft |
|
101-500 |
2 rounds |
2d12 |
10ft |
|
501-2000 |
Three rounds |
3d12 |
15ft |
Objects more massive than 2,000 pounds are simply too
big to detonate. Living flesh and enchanted objects or items are immune to the
destructive resonance, but a wizard could choose to use Tenser’s destructive
resonance on an object worn or carried by another creature. However, if he does
so, the victim is entitled to a saving throw vs. spell to negate the beam
entirely and prevent any damage at all, and then gains a save for half damage
against the blast effect even if the beam succeeds in detonating his equipment.
The material component for this spell is a tiny orb of finely-crafted
gold with a small removable ring surrounding it that must be taken off as the
spell is cast.
[Wizards Spell Compendium IV – 928,929/ 2e Players
Options – Spells and Magic – 149]
 |
| Tenser’s Primal Fury |
Level: 5
Components: V, S, M
Range: 20 yds
Casting Time: 5 segments
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: One person (fighters only)
Explanation/Description: This spell temporarily endows
a fighter with a surge of rage and energy rivaling that of a berserker. Magical
fear will not affect an enraged fighter. The fighter also receives a +2 bonus
on attack and damage rolls, and gains an extra attack every other melee round,
so an attack routine of 3/2 attacks becomes 2/1. The fighter also gains a
temporary endowment of an extra 4d4 hit points, from which any damage is
subtracted before the character’s permanent hit point total is reduced. The
spell does carry a risk, however, because the berserker rage is maintained
throughout the duration of the spell. If all of a fighter’s opponents are
defeated before the spell expires, then the berserk fighter will turn on the
nearest living creature, and continue attacking without regard for friend or
foe until the spell expires. A dispel magic spell will immediately return a
berserk fighter to his normal state. The material component is a bit of fur
from a wolverine or a grizzly bear.
[GA – 71]
Tenser’s Fortunes of War (Abjuration)
Level: 6
Components: V, S, M
Range: Touch
Casting Time: 1 turn
Duration: Special
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Person touched (fighters only)
Explanation/description: This spell grants one fighter
a bonus of special luck in battle. The fighter is given one chance to avoid any
one attack that would reduce the fighter to zero or fewer hit points, or
against magic that would remove the fighter from battle by turning to stone,
paralysis, petrification, sleep, charm, fear, disintegration, death, power
word, or any other magical effect. The fighter is entitled to a saving throw to
avoid defeat, even if a prior save failed. The fighter must make a saving throw
versus death magic at -2. If this save succeeds, then the fighter miraculously
avoids defeat. A damage attack that would normally reduce the fighter to zero
hit points or less instead reduces the fighter’s hit point total to one-half
its current level; that is, a fighter with 17 hit points who takes 17 points of
damage is reduced to 9 hit points. Any other attack which would cause instant
defeat takes no effect if the death magic save is made. Regardless of the
result of the save, the fortunes of war spell is immediately dispelled after
the attack. The material component is a valuable sacrifice made to the
fighter’s patron war god, worth at least 5,000 g.p. in goods desirable to the
deity.
[GA – 71]
Tenser's Transformation (Alteration-Evocation)
Level: 6
Components: V,S,M
Range: 0
Casting Time: 6 segments
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Area of Effect: Personal
 |
| Tenser's Transformation |
[PHB 1e – 86]
Tenser’s Lift (4e)
A pearlescent white platform manifests before you,
ready to ascend or descend at your command.
Level: 8
Component Cost: 125 gp
Category: Exploration
Market Price: 680 gp
Time: 10 minutes
Key Skill: Arcana (no check)
Duration: 10 minutes
Explanation/Description: As a move action, with a mental command, you make it
rise or descend up to half your speed, or move 1 square horizontally. It
descends to no less than a foot above any solid object. You can dismiss the
lift as a minor action, at which time it descends gently to the nearest solid
ground before it dissipates.
[Dragon #366]
Tenser’s Binding (4e)
As you complete the ritual, ropes and chains of force
wrap around the target, rendering escape all but impossible.
 |
| Tenser’s Binding |
Component Cost: 400 gp
Category: Exploration
Market Price: 1,000 gp
Time: 5 minutes
Key Skill: Arcana
Duration: 12 hours (special)
Explanation/Description: This ritual affects a target creature, which must be
helpless and within 5 squares of the ritual caster for the time spent
performing the ritual. At the ritual’s completion, the target is bound by
arcane chains. Escape from these bonds is at a DC equal to the Arcana check
result plus 5, and the ritual’s magic prevents the target from teleporting
unless the prisoner’s level is higher than that of the ritual caster. Before
the ritual expires, it can be renewed by any creature able to perform rituals,
not just the original ritual caster. As long as the ritual is not allowed to
end, it retains the strength imparted by the original caster.
[Dragon #366]
Tenser’s Telling Blow (True Dweomer)
[Spell found in Dungeon Master Option – High Level
Campaigns – 140]
Attack has a line-of-sight range and inflicts 20d8+20
(!) points of damage to all creatures within a 5’ tall area 50’ square.
A saving throw vs. spells allows half damage.
[Rot8 – 31,32]
One must always give credit where credit is due. This History is made
possible primarily by the Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard
Lakofka among them, and the new old guards, Carl Sargant, James Ward, Roger E.
Moore. And Erik Mona, Gary Holian, Sean Reynolds, Frederick Weining.
The list is interminable.
Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his
compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.
The Art:
Tenser, by Gary Williams, from WG6 Isle of the Ape, 1985
Sources:
3010 Players Handbook 1e,
1978
011A Dungeon Masters Guide,
1st Ed., 1979
2011 Unearthed Arcana, 1985
2023 Greyhawk Adventures,
1988
1043 The City of Greyhawk
Boxed Set, 1989
9153 WG6 Isle of the Ape,
1985
9576
Return of the Eight, 1998
2e
Dungeon Master Option: High Level Campaigns, 1995
2e
Player’s Options: Spells and Magic, 1996
2e Wizards Spell Compendium
IV, 1998
Dragon Magazine #366
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