Boccob (BOK-kob)
Greater Powers
(The Uncaring, Lord of All Magic, Archmage of the Deities), Greater God of Magic, Arcane Knowledge, Foresight, and Balance
Boccob, called The Uncaring, is the Lord of all Magics and Archmage of the Deities. Whether or not any worship or serve him seems of no importance to him. Naturally, he is entreated for omens by seers and diviners. Likewise those seeking new magics are prone to ask his aid. Sages also revere him. Boccob rarely leaves his own hall, preferring to send his ser vant, the mad arch-mage Zagyg, in his stead (q.v.). Boccob always is arrayed in garments of purple upon which shimmering runes of gold move and change. He has many amulets and protective devices. It is said that in his palace there is at least one of every magic item, save artifacts and relics, ever devised by magic-user or illusionist. The favorite weapon of Boccob is his staff of the archmage, combining a staff of the magi with a wand of conjuration.
All planes and times are open to Boccob. He is able to draw either positive power or negative force from the appropriate plane so as to strike fear into undead crea¬tures or actually deliver a rolling cloud of energy like unto a huge wall of fire. He can likewise use a net of negative power to affect creatures drawing on the Positive Material Plane. Boccob neither seeks nor avoids confrontations, desiring balance above alignment, knowledge above all. In combination, these two forces can rend demon or devil, deva or elemental.
The Archimage has the power to cast a Disc of Concordant Opposition, a plane of mixed forces which will blast into nothingness any creature which is not highly resistant to magic.
No spells of mental control or possession will affect Boccob, nor will feeblemind or similar magics. He otherwise has attributes typical of greater deities. His followers are spread throughout the Flanaess. His clerics wear purple robes with gold trim. Those who become High Priests actually become able to handle simple magic items normally usable only by magic-users (wands of illusion, crystal balls, robes of useful items, and similar devices).
Services to honor Boccob involve complex rituals, incense, recital of formulas, and readings from special works honoring knowledge.
Boccob (BOK-kob) is known throughout theFlanaess, oversees the maintenance of magic's existence on Oerth, and is interested in the creation ofnew magic items and spells (he is said to have a copy of every magic item made by mortals). He sees thatOerth's magic is declining and will eventually fadeaway; he combats this effect and suspects that Tharizdun is responsible. He is distant from all other godssave his servant Zagyg. Shown in purple robes with shimmering runes of gold, Boccob carries the first staff of the magi; an eye within a pentagram is his symbol.
Seek balance above good, evil, law, or chaos. Fight to push back the encroachment of good just as you would the oppres sion of evil. Magic is the most important thing on Oerth, and it must be preserved so that the balance can be pre served. Churches are protected from outside interfer ence, and those within devote most of their time to research, particularly prophecies, which they guard carefully lest they fall into the wrong hands. In lands where the forces of Law, Chaos, Good, or Evil grow too strong, churches of Boccob are built to balance those forces.
Clerics of Boccob create and study magic and divine the future. They leave their churches to root out rumors of lost magic items or spells, or to defend a magical place or item from destruction. Most clerics of Boccob are neutral, as extremism in ethos is frowned upon; they must maintain the balance between all alignments.
Domains Knowledge, Magic, Trickery; Weapons quarterstaff
Boccob is the archmage of the Powers. Whether or not any serve or revere him seems of no importance to him. Throughout the Flanaess, seers and diviners entreat him for omens, sages revere him, and those seeking to create new magical items or spells often seek his aid. Boccob almost never leaves his own halls in the plane of Concordant Opposition, preferring to send his demigod servant Zagyg the Mad instead. Boccob is portrayed as an old man with bright, intense eyes, clad in garments of purple bearing shimmering golden runes. Within his halls, he has at least one example of every magical item ever devised and a copy of every alchemical formula ever scribbled down. He leans upon a staff of the magi, which also has the functions of a wand of conjuration.
All times and planes are open to Boccob. He manipulates the energies of the Positive and Negative Material planes as he wishes. He ever seeks to learn more of planar structures, the logic of magic, and long-lost lore. Services honoring him involve complex rituals, incense burning, and recitations from works honoring knowledge.
Boccob, The Uncaring, patron of neutrality, foreknow- ledge, and foresight, is the Archmage of the Deities. He has few followers, but this does not appear to concern him in the least. Throughout the Flanaess seers and diviners entreat him for omens, sages revere him, and those seeking to create new magical items or spells often seek his aid. Services to Boccob, when held at all, include complex rit- uals, incense, recitals of alchemical formulas, and readings from special works honoring knowledge.
Boccob's Priests
Boccob's Priests are expected to be grave, serious folk devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. They must adventure to recover lost magical treasures, tomes of lore, and the like.
Requirements: AB Int 14 or Wis 16; AL N; WP dagger, flail, knife, mace, sling, staff, staff-sling; AR nonmetal; RA purple robes with gold trim; SP Astral, Charm, Creation*, Divination, Elemental* (all), Guardian*, Numbers, Summoning*, Thought, Time*; SPL disc of concordant opposi tion; PW 1) cast all divination spells as if two levels higher, 7) commune, 10) able to use magical items normally usable only by wizards; TU nil.
AL Neutral; RA Purple robe with gold trim; AEx: special; WPN flail, mace, staff*, dagger, knife, sling; SPH Astral, Charm, Combat, Divination, Elemental, Summoning, Healing (minor), Guardian (minor SPL see below; ADD disc of Concordant Opposition, dispel magic
Link to explanation of Priests abbreviationsPriests of Boccob gain limited sage ability (see DMG) when they reach 8th level. The cleric has access to the major field of the Supernatural and Unusual, with one special category per 4 points of intelligence. The cleric can answer questions or conduct research only if he has access to a library. If a priest of Boccob builds a religious stronghold (see PHB), he may enchant one or more of Boccob’s eyes in a star symbol to act as a scrying device.
Each scrying device costs 5,000 g.p. and takes 13 weeks to construct. The cleric can build one of these devices for every 3% points of Intelligence he has. The devices function only within the stronghold, each acting as a crystal ball, but capable of scrying only the area in which it is placed. The cleric may use them from any location on the Prime Material Plane. The chance for successful scrying is 100%. There is no limit to the number of times the cleric can scry through these devices, but the total scrying time allowed is three hours per day; the cleric may divide his time between the available devices as he sees fit.
When Boccob’s clerics reach 10th level, they gain the ability to handle magical items normally usable only by magic-users. The items they can use include all wands (but not rods or staves, save those usable by clerics), crystal balls, robes (but not a robe of the archmagi). Once they reach 10th level, clerics pay an additional 5% experience point cost when gaining further levels.
Additional Spell
Disc of Concordant Opposition (Evocation)
Level: 6
Components: V, S, M
Range: 10 yards
Duration: 1 attack
Casting Time: 6 segs.
Saving Throw: Special
Area of Effect: 1 creature
This spell is granted to clerics of Boccob when they become eligible for 6th level spells. It is a less powerful version of Boccob’s own disc of Concordant opposition. When it is cast, the cleric brings into being a disc which will blast most creatures into nothingness unless they are resistant to magic.
Creatures with less than 6 hit dice or 35% magic resistance are destroyed, if they fail their save. Creatures with 6 hit dice or more take 75 points of damage, if they fail their save. Creatures with 6 or more hit dice take 40 points of damage, saving to half damage. Any creature with a magic-resistance greater than 35% is unaffected.
The cleric must have Boccob’s symbol on his person in order to cast this spell. The material component is a small iron and electrum wheel with a rod rising from the center of one side. The disc is hurled at the target while the cleric completes a prayer to Boccob.
Boccob’s Avatar
HD 14; THACO 13; SPA MU 18; MV 18”; AC -2; hp 62; #AT 1; Dmg ld6 + 1 to 4 (strength bonus + variable magical bonus MR 50%; SZ M; Str 16, Int 20, Wis 18, Dex 18, Con, 16, Cha 18
Boccob rarely leaves his own hall. When he does go forth, he appears as a handsome man of indeterminate age clad in flowing purple garments. His clothing is covered with shimmering golden runes which move and change. He is indifferent and reticent to those he meets, neither seeking nor avoiding confrontations, but he always seeks to gain knowledge.
His most common avatar is hit only by weapons of + 3 or better enchantment. No matter what his form, he can draw power from either the Positive or Negative Material Planes. This allows him to strike fear in a 15 foot radius into undead or creatures from the Positive or Negative Material Planes, saving throw at -4.
The avatar has double normal vision into all spectrums and can regenerate ld4 hit points per round. Boccob is immune to all spells involving the mind, including feeblemind and similar magics.
Once per day, Boccob can create a disc of Concordant Opposition. The disc is a 10-foot web of force that blasts into nothingness any creature with fewer than 10 levels or hit dice, or less than 50% magic resistance (unless a save is made). Characters of more than the 10th level take 50 points of damage, no save allowed. Any creature with a magic-resistance greater than 50% is unaffected. Casting time is one segment. The disc’s range is limited only by Boccob’s line-of-sight.
Boccob generally carries his Staff of the Archmage. This combines the powers of a staff of the magi with a wand of conjuration. Though it can never contain more than 25 charges, it can absorb 24 spell levels per day. Boccob always wears at least five amulets and protective devices, including a periapt of wound closure, a scarab ofprotection, an amulet ofproof against detection and location, a periapt of health, and a stone of good luck.
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