Detect Planar Stress Point
(Divination)

Range:  Special
Components:  V, S, M
Duration:  Special
Casting Time:  Special
Area of Effect:  Special
Saving Throw:  None

This spell allows the wizard to find special planar stress points where the casting of gate or planar gateway is easily accomplished. This spell searches through the planar structure. The planar stress points occur naturally. At these stress points, the planar clusters form a natural gap through which travellers might pass. The range depends on the casting time: for every turn cast the wizard can search through an area of 100 square miles per level shaped in any shape he desires. Thus, it could be a long thin strip or a true square shape that spreads out from the wizard. This might seem rather large but considering that not many natural planar stress points exist, that might be relegated. The duration also depends on the casting time: the effect of this spell lasts for two rounds per turn of casting time after the points have been found and the caster has stopped casting. During this time any planar stress points in the area of effect glow with magical power. They thus become a beacon for any creatures looking for them on both sides of the planes - and not all of them will be benign creatures. Once a planar stress point is located the casting time of conjuration/summoning spells such as gate or planar gateway can be reduced by a full 50%. Thus, a conjure elemental would only take five rounds to cast. The problem with such stress points is that there is a 5% chance per turn of the follow-up spell that some kind of creature breaks through the gap created by the follow-up spell: a conjure elemental, cast by a 10th-level wizard would have a 5% chance for the full 10 turns duration that something breaks through - whether the wizard stops early or not. The casting of a conjuration/summoning spell significantly weakens the border between the planes. If the caster decides to use the normal casting time he can receive double the results: either a double Hit Dice monster, or double the normal number of monsters, etc. but in that case the chance of breakthrough rises to 20% per turn.
These stress points are created everywhere one finds an artifact of other-planar power or an item of very strong magical power that links somehow into another plane (very strong means over 8000 XP per item) or with a concentration of over 20 magic items with planar connections that have a sum of over 100,000 XP total.
The material component for this spell is a magical item of no less than 1000 XP worth plus a compass made completely from diamond except the needle which is made from adamantine (no less than 5000 gp).

