- For the Priest version, see Cure Disease.
The cause disease spell afflicts the creature touched with a debilitating or fatal disease at the caster's option. The spell must be delivered by a successful touch attack. The creature touched must immediately make a successful saving throw vs. spell. Failure means the creature contracts the disease selected by the caster. The disease must run its course naturally or be cured with magic (a cure disease spell or equivalent; a dispel magic spell is not effective). Lycanthropy cannot be caused by this spell.
Unlike the 3rd - level priest spell, cure disease, this spell has no reversed form. The spell can be used in combination with the 2nd - level spectral hand spell. Casting this spell is an evil act.
- Debilitating - The disease takes effect in 1d6 turns, after which the creature loses 1 point of Strength per hour until his Strength is reduced to 2 or less, at which time the creature is weak and virtually helpless. If a creature has no Strength rating, it loses 10% of its hit points per Strength loss, down to 10% of its original hit points. If the disease also affects hit points, uses the more severe penalty. Natural recovery requires 1d3 weeks.
- Fatal - This wasting disease is effective immediately. Infected creatures receive no benefit from cure wound spells while the disease is in effect; wounds heal only at 10% of the natural rate. The disease is fatal in 1d6 months, and can be cured only by magical means. Each month the disease progresses, the creature loses 2 points of Charisma permanently.
Notes: Restricted to necromancers and evil witches; uncommon.