Goddess FallenAngel
Explorer
Okay, this is a spell I want to create for my demonologist/necromancer. Let me know what you all think - is this balanced? What should I change (if anything)? I want to get some feedback on this before I present it to my DM.
Sethra's Abyssal Balefire
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half (see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell channels a viscous black and red effluvium drawn from the lower planes. Originally created by denizens of the Abyss to destroy mortals in one of the most painful ways possible (by fire), this sludge bursts into magical black flames upon touching living matter. Balefire that lands on non-living matter reverts to ordinary (if odd-looking) tar. Abyssal Balefire splatters outward in a cone starting at the caster's palm. All vegetation within the spell's area of effect immediately catches fire and burns until consumed or the spell expires. This spell has no effect on undead and constructs, and non-living items need never make a saving throw (even if their owner critically fails a save).
Creatures in the area of effect are allowed 1 reflex saving throw in the initial round of the spell only. Those who fail the saving throw are coated in the ghastly sludge, and take 1d6 damage per 2 caster levels up to a maximum of 10d6. The Abyssal Balefire clings to these pitiful beings and continues to inflict damage each round until the Balefire is completely consumed or extinguished. However, as the Balefire burns, the damage it causes to the creature lessens by 2d6 per round starting on the 2nd round and continuing until extinguished or the damage dice are reduced to 0. If the initial save is successful, they are only splattered by the Abyssal Balefire and take only half damage. Also with an successful save, the Balefire burns out in 1 round with no additional damage in future rounds.
Example: a 20th level caster would do 10d6 damage the first round (save for half). The 2nd round, those who failed the save take an additional 8d6, then 6d6 on the 3rd round, 4d6 on the 4th round, and 2d6 on the 5th and final round as the Balefire flickers out.
Abyssal Balefire can be extinguished is by magical means, such as a successful Dispel Magic, Anti-magic Field, or similar effects, or by a magical cold effect of at least equal power level, such as Cone of Cold (in which case the both spells cancel each other out and end immediately). No non-magical means of extinguishing the Abyssal Balefire are known to exist; even total immersion in water will not extinguish the flames.
Material Component: Tar and a drop of demon's blood.
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Notes: At minimum caster level, the max this spell could do is 5d6+3d6+1d6=9d6 - the same as a cone of cold at the same level. And on a successful save, it only does 2d6, where a cone of cold at that level does 4d6.
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Suggested Revisions:
"No non-magical means of extinguishing the Abyssal Balefire are known to exist; even total immersion in water will not extinguish the flames." Changed to:
Abyssal Balefire can also be extinguished by non-magical means, such as total immersion in water, or by spending a full-round action to remove the burning tar from one's body, resulting in another Relex save. If failed, the Balefire continues to burn for another round. This is the same method used to extinguish normal fire.
Change the die cap from 10d6 to 8d6 (in effect, changing the level cap from 20th to 18th). Max damage on a failed save would be: 8d6+6d6+4d6+2d6=20d6. The damage at lower levels would be unaffected.
Sethra's Abyssal Balefire
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 60 ft.
Area: Cone-shaped burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half (see below)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell channels a viscous black and red effluvium drawn from the lower planes. Originally created by denizens of the Abyss to destroy mortals in one of the most painful ways possible (by fire), this sludge bursts into magical black flames upon touching living matter. Balefire that lands on non-living matter reverts to ordinary (if odd-looking) tar. Abyssal Balefire splatters outward in a cone starting at the caster's palm. All vegetation within the spell's area of effect immediately catches fire and burns until consumed or the spell expires. This spell has no effect on undead and constructs, and non-living items need never make a saving throw (even if their owner critically fails a save).
Creatures in the area of effect are allowed 1 reflex saving throw in the initial round of the spell only. Those who fail the saving throw are coated in the ghastly sludge, and take 1d6 damage per 2 caster levels up to a maximum of 10d6. The Abyssal Balefire clings to these pitiful beings and continues to inflict damage each round until the Balefire is completely consumed or extinguished. However, as the Balefire burns, the damage it causes to the creature lessens by 2d6 per round starting on the 2nd round and continuing until extinguished or the damage dice are reduced to 0. If the initial save is successful, they are only splattered by the Abyssal Balefire and take only half damage. Also with an successful save, the Balefire burns out in 1 round with no additional damage in future rounds.
Example: a 20th level caster would do 10d6 damage the first round (save for half). The 2nd round, those who failed the save take an additional 8d6, then 6d6 on the 3rd round, 4d6 on the 4th round, and 2d6 on the 5th and final round as the Balefire flickers out.
Abyssal Balefire can be extinguished is by magical means, such as a successful Dispel Magic, Anti-magic Field, or similar effects, or by a magical cold effect of at least equal power level, such as Cone of Cold (in which case the both spells cancel each other out and end immediately). No non-magical means of extinguishing the Abyssal Balefire are known to exist; even total immersion in water will not extinguish the flames.
Material Component: Tar and a drop of demon's blood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Notes: At minimum caster level, the max this spell could do is 5d6+3d6+1d6=9d6 - the same as a cone of cold at the same level. And on a successful save, it only does 2d6, where a cone of cold at that level does 4d6.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggested Revisions:
"No non-magical means of extinguishing the Abyssal Balefire are known to exist; even total immersion in water will not extinguish the flames." Changed to:
Abyssal Balefire can also be extinguished by non-magical means, such as total immersion in water, or by spending a full-round action to remove the burning tar from one's body, resulting in another Relex save. If failed, the Balefire continues to burn for another round. This is the same method used to extinguish normal fire.
Change the die cap from 10d6 to 8d6 (in effect, changing the level cap from 20th to 18th). Max damage on a failed save would be: 8d6+6d6+4d6+2d6=20d6. The damage at lower levels would be unaffected.
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