Withering Grasp

With a touch, the caster permanently withers an opponent's limb.

Necromancy
Level: Cleric 5, Sorcerer/Wizard 5, Corruption 4
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: permanent
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

With a magic phrase, your hand glows with dim red energy. Grasping your foe's arm, all his strength leaves him and he drops his weapon, his once-mighty limb withering away.

This spell permanently withers the touched limb. On a successful melee touch attack, a random limb is crippled and useless and the victim suffers 2d6 points of damage. Depending on what limb is withered, this spell has different effects.

Crippling a leg causes the opponent to fall down unless they make a DC 15 balance check, and halves their land speed. Furthermore, moving on only one leg requires a DC 10 balance check.

Crippling an arm, tentacle, or other grasping limb causes anything held with that arm to be dropped, and prevents it's use. Full-body strength checks suffer a -4 penalty, as do grapple checks.

Crippling a wing prevents flight and causes an airborne creature to fall from the sky.

If they wish, the caster can attempt to cripple a specific limb. This type of "called shot" suffers a -4 penalty to the melee touch attack.

As this spell instantaneously destroys use of the limb, heal, restoration, regeneration, or similarly powerful healing magic of at least 5th level must be used to restore use of the crippled limb.

As this spell only requires verbal components, it is often used in close quarters and when wrestling desperately with opponents.