Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sorcerer 7, Wizard 7, Wu Jen 7
Components: V, S, M$
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Black blade of negative energy
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
You shatter the sword in your hand against a stone, bringing into being a similar weapon made entirely of black energy. As soon as it forms, the black blade attacks.
You cause a black blade of pure negative energy to appear and attack opponents at a distance, as directed by you, starting with one attack in the round when the spell is cast and continuing each round thereafter. Though it makes regular melee attacks, the sword strikes as a spell, not a weapon (and so can strike incorporeal creatures). A sword of darkness always strikes from your direction, and so it can’t be used to flank with your attacks, but it could flank with your allies.
The blade attacks with a base attack bonus equal to your caster level, dealing one negative level per hit and threatening a critical hit (and therefore two negative levels) on a roll of 19-20. Negative levels usually have a chance of permanently draining the subject’s levels, but the negative levels from sword of darkness don’t last long enough to do so. However, if the subject gains at least as many negative levels as it has Hit Dice, it dies.
In addition, each successful hit provides a –2 penalty on the target’s next saving throw roll (–4 on a successful critical hit). This penalty is cumulative (to a maximum of –5 on a single creature) and lasts until the creature is forced to make a saving throw in a dangerous situation or receives the benefit of a remove curse spell.
If the sword strikes an undead creature, it grants that creature 5 temporary hit points per two caster levels (maximum 25 temporary hit points) that last for up to 1 hour.
Each round, a sword of darkness continues to attack the previous round’s target unless you use a standard action to switch it to a new target within range. In any round when the weapon switches targets, it gets one attack as a standard action (as it does in the round when the spell is cast). The weapon can make multiple attack rolls against a single target with a full attack action if its base attack bonus permits. A sword of darkness cannot be attacked or damaged (though it can be dispelled as any other spell).
If an attacked creature has spell resistance, make a caster level check the first time the sword attacks. If the check is successful, the sword can attack that creature with normal effect for the duration of the spell. If not, the sword of darkness is dispelled. If the target goes beyond the spell range or out of your sight, the sword of darkness returns to you and hovers.
Material Component: A bastard sword or longsword, which is shattered against a stone while casting the spell.
Source: Spell Compendium, page 217. The spell description is integrated with that of sword of deception (same page) on which this spell is based. Previously published in Complete Arcane, page 126. “Wu Jen 7” added back to Level listing.