Electricity and Lightning

The distinction between lightning and electricity is principally one of hitting power. A lightning bolt’s immense voltage allows it to overcome the resistance of many things that normally don’t conduct electricity at all. In addition, the power of a lightning bolt is so great that the target can blow itself to pieces as its fluids or water content is flashed to steam and then expands. This is why trees hit by lightning bolts split open; the water in the wood bursts the tree from inside as it turns to steam.

In the AD&D magic system, lightning bolt, call lightning, chain lightning and blue dragon breath are lightning attacks. Shocking grasp, glyphs of warding, and the touch of a volt, shocker, or electric eel are electricity attacks.

Visibility: The bright arc of electricity or the flash of lightning as it strikes can temporarily dazzle people looking right at the bolt or spark, especially when the viewers’ eyes are adjusted to darkness or dim light. In this case, the DM may require onlookers to make a saving throw vs. death magic or suffer a –1 attack penalty for 1d3 rounds as their vision clears.

In addition, lightning and electricity may start fires if applied to flammable targets (wood or trees usually, but not people). The smoke from a lightning-struck fire can be just as disorienting as the smoke from a fireball.

Environmental Effects: Lightning and electricity leave few lingering effects behind; a stink of ozone (ionized air) may persist for 1d6 rounds, possibly confusing creatures that rely on smell to detect their prey, and objects may be magnetized by their exposure to powerful electrical currents. This is not fantasy magnetism capable of picking up an armored warrior and hurling him through the air; this is low-level magnetism capable of skewing compass needles and lodestones.

Flammable items that fail their saving throw vs. lightning or electricity must make a second saving throw vs. normal fire or begin to burn. This may in turn cause smoke and other such effects.

Lightning bolts cast underwater electrocute everything within a 20-foot radius of the bolt’s origin. Since the wizard can start the bolt up to 40 feet away from his position, he would be wise to do so when using this spell in an aquatic setting. If a caster out of the water throws a lightning bolt into the water, the bolt has its normal effect on any creature in its path until it strikes the surface of the water; at that point, it expands in a 20-foot-radius globe in the water, and goes no further.

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