“Blessings” of The Damned Lands
Several months ago I posted about the superpowers creatures can gain by surviving an extended stay in The Damned Lands. The Damned Lands, of course, are a psionically irradiated wasteland. The warped reality in The Damned Lands can drive a person mad, but managing to survive and resist the madness during an extended stay in the area comes with its own rewards. The psionic energy of the place can warp creatures’ anatomy and physiology granting them powers like the ability to fly or become invisible.
Well the rules I’d previously created for The Damned Land powers were based on the information in the final D&D Next playtest packet. We now have the official fifth edition Dungeons and Dragons rules, and so I’ve updated those rules. The update for superpowers are based on the rules for blessings in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. I’m not calling these blessings though, since they aren’t granted by gods. Take a look at the excerpt from the upcoming Exploration Age Campaign Guide below.
Madness in The Damned Lands
As adventurers spend more time in The Damned Lands, they risk becoming infected with madness. Every ten days straight spent in The Damned Lands, a creature must succeed on a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or contract a form of indefinite madness (see chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide). For consecutive day beyond the first spent in The Damned Lands, the DC for the saving throw increases by 1, since the warping psionic energies become more and more difficult to resist.
If the creature fails this saving throw by 5 or more, in addition to gaining a form of indefinite madness, its Intelligence score is reduced 2, the DM takes control of the character, and if it ever leaves the borders of The Damned Lands it dies.
Damned Superpowers
There are two types of superpowers that can be acquired by staying within the borders of The Damned Lands, minor and major. Any creature who survives 15 continuous days or longer in The Damned Lands has a chance to acquire a minor power. The DM may choose or roll on the table below to grant a creature a power.
Any creature who survives 20 continuous days or longer in The Damned Lands has a chance to acquire a major power. The DM may choose or roll on the table below to grant a creature a power.
Minor Powers
Blindsight. You gain 5-foot blindsight.
Disguise Self. As an action you can cast disguise self. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Beast Speech. You can speak to and understand beasts.
Charm Person. As an action you can cast charm person. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Darkvision. You gain 60-foot darkvision. If you already have darkvision, add 60 feet to its range.
Detect Magic. As an action you can cast detect magic.
Fear. As an action you can cast fear. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Feather Fall. You can cast the feather fall spell at-will.
Increased Speed. Your walking speed increases 5 feet.
Inner Healing. As an action you regain a number of hit points equal to your Constitution score. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Minor Telekinesis. As an action you can move an unattended object within 30 feet weighing 20 lbs. or less 30 feet in any direction. If the object moves more than 30 feet away from you, it falls.
Misty Step. As a bonus action you can cast misty step. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Object Teleportation. As an action you can teleport an object you hold 50 feet (this includes into the free hand of another person).
Psychic Claws. As a bonus action you grow psychic claws from you hands that count as light finesse weapons which deal 1d6 psychic damage. You are proficient with these claws and can dismiss them as a bonus action.
Psychic Knives. As part of an attach can create psychic knives which count as light finesse weapons and deal 1d4 psychic damage. These knives can be thrown (range 20/60) and disappear at the end of your turn.
Pyrokinesis. As an action you can cause an unattended flammable object within 30 feet to catch fire.
Sanctuary. As an action you can cast sanctuary on yourself. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Telepathy. You can communicate telepathically with any creature within 30 feet of you which can understand a language.
Web. As an action you can cast web. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Zone of Truth. As an action you can cast zone of truth. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Major Powers
Amphibious. You are able to breathe underwater and gain a 30-foot swim speed.
Blink. As an action you can cast the blink spell.
Dispel Magic. As an action you can cast dispel magic. Your spellcasting ability for the purposes of this power is Charisma.
Detect Thoughts. As an action you can cast detect thoughts. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Flight. You gain a 60-foot fly speed.
Gifted Misty Step. As a bonus action you can cast misty step.
Invisibility. As an action you can cast the improved invisibility spell.
Invulnerability. You resist bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Magic Resistance. You gain advantage on saving throws against magical effects.
Major Image. As an action you can cast major image. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Polymorph. As an action you can cast polymorph. The save DC for this spell is 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier.
Psychic Pet. As an action you summon a psychic creature which has the same statistics as a Tyrannosaurus rex, except that all of its attacks deal psychic damage. The creature is under your control and takes only actions you order, though it will defend itself if attacked. You must complete a short or long rest before you can use this ability again.
Regeneration. At the start of your turn as long as you have at least 1 hit point remaining, you regain 5 hit points.
Resurrection. You can cast resurrection without expending any material components. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Super Intelligence. Your Intelligence score becomes 26.
Super Speed. Your walking speed is tripled.
Super Strength. Your Strength score becomes 26.
Telekinesis. As an action you can cast telekinesis.
Time Stop. As an action you can cast time stop. You must complete a long rest before you can use this ability again.
Tunneler. You gain a burrow speed equal to your walking speed, 60-foot tremorsense, and 30-foot blindsight.
Power Tables
d20 | Minor Power |
1 | Blindsight |
2 | Disguise self |
3 | Beast speech |
4 | Charm person |
5 | Darkvision |
6 | Detect magic |
7 | Fear |
8 | Feather fall |
9 | Increased speed |
10 | Inner healing |
11 | Minor telekinesis |
12 | Misty step |
13 | Object teleportation |
14 | Psychic claws |
15 | Psychic knives |
16 | Pyrokinesis |
17 | Sanctuary |
18 | Telepathy |
19 | Web |
20 | Zone of truth |
d20 | Major Powers |
1 | Amphibious |
2 | Blink |
3 | Dispel magic |
4 | Detect thoughts |
5 | Flight |
6 | Gifted misty step |
7 | Invisibility |
8 | Invulnerability |
9 | Magic resistance |
10 | Major image |
11 | Polymorph |
12 | Psychic pet |
13 | Regeneration |
14 | Resurrection |
15 | Super intelligence |
16 | Super speed |
17 | Super strength |
18 | Telekinesis |
19 | Time stop |
20 | Tunneler |
PDFs!
You probably knew I wouldn’t leave you without a PDF. All the information above is in a juicy download for you below and on the Free Game Resources section of this site. You can use these superpowers as is or plug them into your game as blessings per the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
Note: These superpowers are game-changers that make PCs into superheroes, so use at your own risk.
Madness and Powers in The Damned Lands
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