Burning Column (Shield Magic Property)

Burning Column (Shield Magic Property)

Enchant Cost: +8 (epic)

You must be level 21 or higher to equip, wield or wear an item with this property.

Shields with this property are always blackened and singed in appearance as if affected by a terrible fire. They are decorated with scenes of fiery destruction, great disasters, and volcanoes.

As a standard action, the wielder may command the shield to create columns of glowing red-hot lava, which grow into existence from a solid surface in range, scattering sparks and cinders, erupting into place with a hollow roar. These pillars must root in a solid surface, be it floor, wall, ceiling, or slope, and always extend straight out of their rooting surface.

The columns completely fill a number of squares based upon the character level of the wearer, at least one of which must be adjacent to their space, and none of which may be adjacent to another square filled with the effect. If any square is filled with a lava column that is adjacent to another lava column created by this shield, then all columns created by this shield are instantly dispelled. Each column is ten feet high and five feet wide, and always has rounded corners, so the corners around it may be cut at any time. If the wearer of the shield is between 1st and tenth level, one square is filled. Two squares manifest per activation at levels 11th to 20th, 3 squares at levels 21st to 30th, and four squares at levels 31 and higher.

The burning columns can be manifested at any distance from the wearer of the shield to which there is line of sight and line of effect, as long as that distance is equal to or less than the Walk speed of the wearer of the shield.

If the columns are evoked such that one or more of them erupt in the space of a creature, that creature suffers 3d6+36 points of bonus Darkfire (energy, rare) damage and enough Push that they are moved out of the square the column of lava is occupying. If there is no legal space for the creature to be pushed into, they suffer the damage and the pillar fails to manifest.

If an enemy creature passes adjacent to any column of lava, it gains the Singed condition, inflicting Darkfire (energy, rare) damage.

Once created the columns of lava persist until the end of the next combat the wearer participates in, and no longer. They evaporate to nothingness in an instant, leaving no residue behind. The pillars do not move, and can be Sundered to destroy them, using the Maneuver Defense of the wearer of the shield, with a Durability of 1, per square. If the wearer activates the shield multiple times, the various manifestations cannot be adjacent to any other, and one always has to be adjacent to the current space of the wielder.

The columns block line of sight or line of effect, and provide Cover to creatures on the opposite sides.

Creation: Creator (Feat), Epic Creator (Feat), Bailiwick Check (DC 65), a vital remnant (tier 6), and an item symbolic of the enchantment.