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Maleficus Spike

Properties

Magical properties

Description

A maleficus spike is an ancient item forged of cold iron with an adamantine core designed to keep demons at bay. When driven into the wall of a building, a maleficus spike infuses the walls of the structure with a dimensional lock effect and a ward that repels evil outsiders. Any outsider with the evil subtype that tries to enter or damage the warded building must attempt a DC 30 Will save. If it fails, the outsider takes 12d6 points of damage and becomes nauseated for 1 hour. An outsider that remains inside a building warded in this manner must make a new Will save each round to avoid damage and nausea. The effect is lessened against non-outsider evil creatures, but they too are affected—such creatures gain a +4 bonus on their Will saves, take only 4d6 points of damage on a failed save, and are nauseated for only 1 minute.

The stone and doors of a structure warded by a maleficus spike are considered to be magically treated (+20 to Break DCs, double hardness, and double hit points). Additionally, the structure self-repairs damage at the rate of 5 points of damage per round, provided the damage was inflicted while the maleficus spike was functioning; the spike can't repair existing damage when it is installed.

A maleficus spike consumes an enormous amount of magical energy. It contains enough energy to ward a structure for 24 hours, after which it becomes dormant until recharged. Recharging a maleficus spike requires a spellcaster to spend 10 minutes in contact with the spike, after which the spellcaster selects a number of spell slots totaling no fewer than 24 spell levels to expend to infuse the artifact with enough energy to ward the structure for another 24 hours. Prepared spells in these slots are lost for a day, and for spontaneous spellcasters those slots are used for a day. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to fuel a maleficus spike.

Destruction

To destroy a maleficus spike, it must be hammered into a structure on the Abyss using a tool bearing the unholy symbol of any demon lord.

See also

• Lock (average)
• Lock (good)
• Lock (simple)
• Lock (superior)

Tags

Sources

• Artifacts and Legends
• Pathfinder #17: A Memory of Darkness

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