New Spells: Ray of Darkness, Screaming Darkness

Merlion · Mar 10, 2004

A couple more darker spells.

Ray of Darkness
Evocation ( Darkness, Fear, Mind affecting)
Level: Mys 1, Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft+5ft/2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Saving Throw: Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell projects a beam of chilling darkness at an enemy. You must succeed at a ranged touch attack to strike an enemy with the ray. The target is chilled for 1d4+1 points of damage per caster level (max 5d4+5), and must succeed at a Will save or be Shaken for 1 round. Creatures immune to either cold, or fear, are immune to this spell.

Screaming Darkness
Evocation (Darkness, Mind-affecting)
Level: Mys 7, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft +10ft/level)
Area: 20 ft radius spread
Saving Throw: Will partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell blasts an area with howling shadows and darkness. All living beings in the area are chilled for 10d6 points of damage. The howling voices within the darkness tear at the subjects minds, inflecting 1d6 points of Cha, Int, and Wis damage. Lastly, the darkness blinds all in the area for 1d3 rounds. A successful Will save halves the ability damage, and negates the blinding. Creatures immune to cold take no damage from this spell.

Kerrick · Mar 10, 2004

Ray of darkness: This would be better off as a Necromancy spell, not Evocation (and dump the darkness descriptor - you're not creating darkness, it's merely a spell effect). IIRC, there is no save for ray spells; if there is, this one should be Fort half. I'm not exactly sure why something immune to fear would not still take damage. I'd also adjust this spell to L2 - it's a bit too powerful for an L1.

Howling darkness: This one is definitely Necromancy. No darkness descriptor here either, though Fear and Mind-Affecting do apply. Fort save, not Will; I'm not sure why it deals 10d6 AND ability damage; why not just the ability damage? The howling voices part sounds really cool, and easily justifies the ability damage, but I can't see the reason for the 10d6 cold damage. If you dump the 10d6, it would drop the spell level to around 4 (note that I think touch of idiocy is way overpowered for its level...). Again, a Fort save applies, for half damage.

Merlion · Mar 11, 2004

This would be better off as a Necromancy spell, not Evocation

Probably, but I figured people would freak out at a damage dealing non evocation.

and dump the darkness descriptor - you're not creating darkness, it's merely a spell effect

Yes, a spell effect that creates a ray of Darkness, hence the descriptor.

IIRC, there is no save for ray spells

Incorrect

if there is, this one should be Fort half

Not entirely correct. Generaly, spells with touch attacks dont have saves and vice versa...and spells with ranged touch attacks generaly dont have Reflex saves. But the save in this spell is only to negate the fear effect.

I'm not exactly sure why something immune to fear would not still take damage

Because the 2 are themeaticaly linked. The chilling damage isnt precisely like regular cold damage...and it and the fear are part of the same thing. The damage is like partialy pyschological in nature.

I'd also adjust this spell to L2 - it's a bit too powerful for an L1.

Why exactly? Although I am considering slowing the damage progression.

Merlion · Mar 11, 2004

No darkness descriptor here either, though Fear and Mind-Affecting do apply

Same as above

Fort save, not Will

Why? the save is for the ability damage to the mental ability scores...its attacking the mind not the body

I'm not sure why it deals 10d6 AND ability damage; why not just the ability damage?

Uh, cause I want it to, and its a 7th level spell.

The howling voices part sounds really cool, and easily justifies the ability damage, but I can't see the reason for the 10d6 cold damage

See above, and its not really cold damage...its the "chill of the void" much like Ray of Darkness.

If you dump the 10d6, it would drop the spell level to around 4

That'd be fine, accept I dont want it to be level 4.

Again, a Fort save applies, for half damage

Why would it be a Fort save for mental ability damage? unless it was Poison

Kerrick · Mar 12, 2004

Merlion said:
Probably, but I figured people would freak out at a damage dealing non evocation.

Hehe... break the rules. Be a rebel.

Yes, a spell effect that creates a ray of Darkness, hence the descriptor.

Mmm... it's creating a ray of dark energy. There's a difference. The ray deals damage, and hence it's energy of some type (most likely negative, which I actually use as a descriptor).

See, this line is confusing me...

Creatures immune to either cold, or fear, are immune to this spell.

If the spell uses actual cold energy, then it should have the Cold descriptor. I'm thinking this spell is more like chill touch (which is necromancy, BTW), in which makes no mention of immunity to cold damage granting immunity to the spell. See, this is supernatural cold - it touches the soul, not the flesh, and thus you can't be immune to it unless you're undead.

Not entirely correct. Generaly, spells with touch attacks dont have saves and vice versa...and spells with ranged touch attacks generaly dont have Reflex saves.

Okay. I haven't cracked my PHB in awhile (I'm currently on deployment in the Gulf), so I'll give you that one.

[/quote]But the save in this spell is only to negate the fear effect.[/quote]

5d4+5 damage with no save? It's as good as magic missile (and we all know what people think of THAT spell...). Actually, it's better at lower levels. This is why I'd bump it up to L2. If you slow the progression (maybe 1d4+1 every other level), it'd be a good L1 spell.

Fort save, not Will

Click to expand...

Why? the save is for the ability damage to the mental ability scores...its attacking the mind not the body

You're right. I was half-asleep when I wrote that post.

I'm not sure why it deals 10d6 AND ability damage; why not just the ability damage?

Click to expand...

Uh, cause I want it to, and its a 7th level spell.

Well, I guess that's as good a reason as any.

Merlion · Mar 12, 2004

Hehe... break the rules. Be a rebel

Generaly I do. And I get a lot of foolish responses, or hysterics from people for it

Mmm... it's creating a ray of dark energy. There's a difference. The ray deals damage, and hence it's energy of some type (most likely negative, which I actually use as a descriptor).

I dont want it to be negative energy, I dont like the way that whole thing is handled. Mechanicaly, it works much the same way in that undead are immune anyway...but they arent healed, because it isnt negative energy.