Fire Shield

This spell can be cast in one of two forms: a warm shield that protects against cold-based attacks, or a chill shield that protects against fire-based attacks. Both return damage to creatures making physical attacks against the wizard. The wizard must choose which variation he memorizes when the spell is selected. When casting this spell, the wizard appears to immolate himself, but the flames are thin and wispy, shedding no heat, and giving light equal to only half the illumination of a normal torch. The color of the flames is determined randomly (50% chance of either color)—blue or green if the chill shield is cast, violet or blue if the warm shield is employed. The special powers of each shield are as follows: A) Warm shield. The flames are warm to the touch. Any cold-based attacks are saved against with a +2 bonus; either half normal damage or no damage is sustained. There is no bonus against fire-based attacks, but if the wizard fails to make the required saving throw (if any) against them, he sustains double normal damage. The material component for this variation is a bit of phosphorous. B) Chill shield. The flames are cool to the touch. Any fire-based attacks are saved against with a +2 bonus; either half normal damage or no damage is sustained. There is no bonus against cold-based attacks, but if the wizard fails to make the required saving throw (if any) against them, he sustains double normal damage. The material component for this variation is a live firefly or glow worm or the tail portions of four dead ones. Any creature striking the spellcaster with its body or hand-held weapons inflicts normal damage upon the wizard, but the attacker suffers the same amount of damage. An attacker’s magical resistance, if any, is tested when the creature actually strikes the wizard. Successful resistance shatters the spell. Failure means the creature’s magic resistance does not affect that casting of the spell.