Darth Cyric
First Post
4e didn't remove Save or Dies, but they were designed in a more intelligent manner. Monsters like Beholders, Bodaks and Orcus have these SoDs, but they don't immediately screw your character over, nor do they even make the player stop rolling die in a few rounds of frantic attempts at survival.
One of my few beefs with 4e is that the monsters have these abilities, but the player characters don't. Especially since SoD effects in 4e aren't the "win button" they were in editions past. If SoDs were fixed, and fixed quite well, I might add, then what is the problem in giving Epic Tier characters a couple of these?
With that in mind, I drafted up a 4e version of a classic Wizard SoD spell, Wail of the Banshee, as an example. See what you think:
Wail of the Banshee -- Wizard Attack 29
You let out a supernaturally loud and shrill scream that unleashes dark power and weakens your enemies. The aftershocks are so powerful and sinister that your enemies soon cannot even act, and shortly after, they fall dead.
Daily * Arcane, Implement, Thunder, Necrotic
Standard Action Close burst 10
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier thunder and necrotic damage, 10 ongoing thunder and necrotic damage (save ends).
First failed save: The target is weakened (save ends).
Second failed save: The target is stunned and weakened (save ends).
Third failed save: The target takes thunder and necrotic damage equal to its current hit points total.
Miss: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier thunder and necrotic damage.
Draft notes:
- Thunder damage seemed the closest to the effect it should have. Loud sounds and all, as per the PHB description. The case for necrotic was strong as well, and since they can have more than one property, I made it both thunder and necrotic. I did have to change the flavor text a little.
- Since the spell does have potential to kill something, and the existing Legion's Hold (Wizard Daily 29), a good spell but obviously not an SoD, does 2d10, I made the damage 2d6.
One of my few beefs with 4e is that the monsters have these abilities, but the player characters don't. Especially since SoD effects in 4e aren't the "win button" they were in editions past. If SoDs were fixed, and fixed quite well, I might add, then what is the problem in giving Epic Tier characters a couple of these?
With that in mind, I drafted up a 4e version of a classic Wizard SoD spell, Wail of the Banshee, as an example. See what you think:
Wail of the Banshee -- Wizard Attack 29
You let out a supernaturally loud and shrill scream that unleashes dark power and weakens your enemies. The aftershocks are so powerful and sinister that your enemies soon cannot even act, and shortly after, they fall dead.
Daily * Arcane, Implement, Thunder, Necrotic
Standard Action Close burst 10
Target: Each enemy in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier thunder and necrotic damage, 10 ongoing thunder and necrotic damage (save ends).
First failed save: The target is weakened (save ends).
Second failed save: The target is stunned and weakened (save ends).
Third failed save: The target takes thunder and necrotic damage equal to its current hit points total.
Miss: 2d6 + Intelligence modifier thunder and necrotic damage.
Draft notes:
- Thunder damage seemed the closest to the effect it should have. Loud sounds and all, as per the PHB description. The case for necrotic was strong as well, and since they can have more than one property, I made it both thunder and necrotic. I did have to change the flavor text a little.
- Since the spell does have potential to kill something, and the existing Legion's Hold (Wizard Daily 29), a good spell but obviously not an SoD, does 2d10, I made the damage 2d6.
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