Witchcraft • Legacy Seasonal Cantrip

Spirit of the Season

Allegory of the four seasons illustrating the Spirit of the Season spell

Spirit of the Season surrounds the caster with a mild seasonal influence and hinders creatures tied to one opposed element. It is atmosphere first and battlefield edge second; it never creates damaging weather.

Spirit of the Season at a Glance

Role Seasonal aura and initiative penalty
Legacy level Witch 0, Druid 0
Area 10-foot emanation centred on caster
Duration 10 minutes/level
Penalty –2 initiative to creatures with the matching elemental descriptor

Spell Rules by Edition

5.5e / 2024

Status: no standard spell by this name. Modern creature tags and initiative rules differ, so the legacy descriptor mechanic is not imported.

5e / 2014

Status: no core spell by this name.

Pathfinder 1e

Status: no standard Pathfinder spell by this name and no automatic Witch-list conversion is assumed.

D&D 3.x Legacy

School Transmutation
Level Witch 0, Druid 0
Components V
Casting Time 1 action
Area 10-foot emanation centred on caster
Duration 10 minutes/level
Saving Throw Will negates (legacy source)
Spell Resistance Yes (legacy source)
Season chosen Element hindered
Winter Fire
Summer Frost or Water
Spring Air
Autumn Earth

Affected creatures take –2 initiative while within the aura. The local air also drifts gently toward the chosen season: warmer in summer, drier in autumn, cooler in winter and fresher in spring.

What Changed?

Elemental descriptors and the initiative penalty are legacy d20 mechanics. No automatic modern conversion is assumed.

Best Uses

  • Gain a small initiative edge against a known elemental threat.
  • Signal a coven’s seasonal rite without creating dangerous weather.
  • Mark a ritual space with a persistent sensory change.

Counterplay and GM Rulings

  • Descriptor check: only creatures that actually have the relevant legacy descriptor suffer the initiative penalty.
  • Already rolled initiative: decide before the encounter whether the penalty changes an existing initiative result or applies only when initiative is rolled.
  • Dispel Magic: the aura has a duration and can be dispelled normally under legacy rules.
  • Weather: the seasonal sensory effect is mild and never replaces a weather-control spell.

In Play

Seasonal covens use the cantrip during solstice and equinox rites, while travelling Witches use it as a subtle warning that elemental opposition is nearby. The atmospheric effect is conspicuous enough to become a clue without functioning as an attack.

Related Spells

Endure Elements · Control Weather · Witch Spell Lists

FAQ

Does Spirit of the Season deal elemental damage?

No. Its legacy mechanical effect is an initiative penalty; the temperature and air changes are mild.

Does it affect every elemental creature?

Only those carrying the descriptor associated with the chosen season under the legacy rules.

Sources and Licensing

Rules-source boundary: the modern-edition panels are status guidance only. The legacy mechanics are preserved from Open Game Content.

Revised System Reference Document rules material identified as Open Game Content is used under the Open Game License v1.0a. Original explanations, comparisons, rulings, setting material, tactical guidance and the primary illustration are SpiralWorlds editorial material except where another credit is stated.

Open Game License v1.0a + applicable Section 15 notices

OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a

The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved.

1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity; (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures; characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product Identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor; (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content; (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement.

2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that You Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.

3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.

4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use the Open Game Content.

5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.

6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.

7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.

8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.

9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.

10. Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.

11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.

12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.

13. Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.

14. Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.

15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

System Reference Document Copyright 2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.

Liber Mysterium: The Netbook of Witches and Warlocks is Copyright ©2003, Timothy S. Brannan and the Netbook of Witches Team.

Keep this reference growing

If this page helped with your reading or game, you can support its upkeep or explore the curated books.

Buy the creator a coffee

Explore the Bookshop — epics, classics and stories behind imagined worlds.

Scroll to Top