Sea of Swords

Have you ever been caught out in the open? I mean REALLY out in the open? Like nothing but grass for miles and miles sort of open? Well, this spell was created for just such an occasion. I'm sure, at some point, you have walked through tall grass or reeds and been nicked by the blades. Sea of Swords takes the naturally sharp edges of grasses and reeds and enhances it to the point where they cut like swords.

When cast, all the grass within a given area takes on a cutting edge equal to that of a long, thin razor. For each round that an unarmored person moves through tall grass, he takes 1D8 points of damage. Remember that although a character might be wearing a breastplate, if he is wearing only cloth pants, he will still take damage. Only if the legs and feet are armored will he escape unscathed. (Thick boots count as armor for feet.) Note: the grass does not literally become stiff and metallic, like a sword. It is still just grass and can be cut down to provide a safe path across the field.

When cast on very short grass, it becomes much like trying to walk on a field of caltrops and no amount of dexterity is going to get you through it. Either go around the area or make sure you are wearing very thick soled boots. Each step causes 1D3 points of damage and the character is slowed to half movement.

A word of warning: One might be tempted to grab the tall grass and push it aside. This is highly unadvisable unless you are wearing metal gauntlets or have an ample supply of band-aids.