New Spells: Mage Bolts, Vacuum Burst, Gravity Warp(edited)

Actualy thease spells arent really and truly new but I've touched them up a bit since their inception. Tell me what you think.




Mage Bolts
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3, Mys 5
Range: Medium (100 ft +10 ft/level)
Target: up to 5 creatures or objects, no two of which can be more than 15 feet apart.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows you to hurl blasts of magical force at your targets. The spell does 1d6 damage per level, to a maximum of 10d6 at 10th level. You may divide this damage however you choose, but you may not create more than 5 bolts with this spell. The bolts strike unerringly, ignoring anything less than total concealment. A Shield spell or Brooch of Shielding blocks these bolts



Vacuum Burst
Transmutation [Air]
Wiz/Sor 5
Components: V, S
Range: Long (400 ft + 40 ft/level)
Area: 20ft radius
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: See Text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell evacuates the air from the area of effect for a brief moment, causing an explosive implosion of air. Creatures in the area take 1d6 damage per caster level (max 15d6) and are stunned for 1 round. A successful Reflex save halves the damage, and negates the stun. This spell does not function in an airless environment





Gravity Warp
Transmutation
Level: Wiz/Sor 7
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Medium (100ft +10 ft/level)
Area: 20ft radius
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:
Spell Resistance: Yes

This powerful spell causes gravity within the area of effect to spasm violently, warping objects and creatures in the area. Everything in the area of effect takes 1d6 points of damage, to a maximum of 20d6. A successful Fortitude save halves this damage. Additionally, creatures in the area that fail their saving throws are slowed for 1d4 rounds.
Material component: a black opal worth at least 500 GP.

The only problem with the last two that I see is that the damage caps are too high. The fact that they have high damage caps isn't really the problem- it's the fact that they don't deal any sort of elemental damage, so they can't be stopped by resistance. This, coupled with the high damage caps, makes them too powerful for their level.

Take Flame Strike for instance. It's a 5th-level Cleric spell, and it does up to 15d6 points of damage- but half of it is Fire, so at least half of it can be ignored with resistance. Vacuum burst is 5th level as well, and does up to 15d6- and it has an effect that requires a different save than its primary effect (making it doubly useful against most characters, since if you are able to negate one of them because of your high Reflex save, chances are you won't be able to negate the other).

Gravity Warp, however, I feel is too powerful as well- but its expensive material component makes up for that.

Vacuum burst is 5th level as well, and does up to 15d6- and it has an effect that requires a different save than its primary effect (making it doubly useful against most characters, since if you are able to negate one of them because of your high Reflex save, chances are you won't be able to negate the other).

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I am probably going to have the Reflex save negate the stun as well. Just easier that way.

it's the fact that they don't deal any sort of elemental damage, so they can't be stopped by resistance

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This is really very circumstantial. What creatures you encounter is up to the DM...you may not even run into anything with resistances or immunities, and if you do, they may not be ones that affect you for whatever reasons.

If I power down Vacuum Burst it will suffer the Cone of Cold syndrome of being a 5th level Fireball till you hit 15th level.

The lack of resistance is a problem with the other two, but the real beast is mage bolts. Because it has no save, it is devestating for a single creature. With its d6/level damage it takes a chunk out of enemy spellcasters, rogues, and monks. In addition, it does force damage which is irresistable and effects ethereal creatures. It also requires no attack roll. Also, consider metemagic. Maximized mage bolts does 60 damage, garunteed for a 6th level spell. A wizard who rolls max HP and has a 12 con dosn't hit that until 12th level. On average rolls, not until 17th. Against any other spell the wizard could survive through energy resistance, or making a save.

In addition, as a readied action it is garunteed disruption of any spellcaster. No other spell does this, as concentration checks are makeable on a save.

If this spell was availible to a wizard I was playing, it would see use even at 20th level without question.

Gravity Warp is a guaranteed rogue-killer, like Horrid Wilting. Rogues have the ability to avoid most damaging spells (good, because they have so few hit points) but in exchange are more vulnerable to incapacitating spells (Fort and Will).
Any damaging spell that uses a save other than Reflex should do less damage than a comparable Reflex-save spell. Perhaps d4 per level, or d8 per two levels. Otherwise, you destroy the rogue's primary defensive advantage.

The lack of resistance is a problem with the other two, but the real beast is mage bolts. Because it has no save, it is devestating for a single creature. With its d6/level damage it takes a chunk out of enemy spellcasters, rogues, and monks. In addition, it does force damage which is irresistable and effects ethereal creatures.

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Yes. Kind of like Magic Missile.

Also, consider metemagic

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I'd rather not. Metamagic has no bearing on wether the spell is balanced.

Maximized mage bolts does 60 damage, garunteed for a 6th level spell

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No, it doesnt. Spell Resistance. Brooch of Shielding. Shield Spell.

Against any other spell the wizard could survive through energy resistance, or making a save.

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Except for Magic Missile, Power Word: Kill, Cloudkill, Evard's Black Tentacles etc

If this spell was availible to a wizard I was playing, it would see use even at 20th level without question

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Also kind of like Magic Missile.

Gravity Warp is a guaranteed rogue-killer, like Horrid Wilting. Rogues have the ability to avoid most damaging spells (good, because they have so few hit points) but in exchange are more vulnerable to incapacitating spells (Fort and Will).

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Yes, I know.

Any damaging spell that uses a save other than Reflex should do less damage than a comparable Reflex-save spell. Perhaps d4 per level, or d8 per two levels.

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Why's that? the afored mentioned Horrid Wilting does the 8th level damage cap, and has a Fortitude save. And a massive area

Otherwise, you destroy the rogue's primary defensive advantage.

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You mean the way Golems destroy a mages primary everything advantage? Every class has things their good at, and things their not...things that mess em up bad, and things they are strong against.

Merlion said:

You mean the way Golems destroy a mages primary everything advantage?

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Bad example. A mage has plenty of options against a golem. Summoning creatures are a good offensive option, as are some conjuration attack spells. Stoneskin, blur, and many other things remain good defensive options. Expeditious retreat, fly, and teleport are good tactical options. Scrying to know the golem is there in the first place is also a good tactical option.

Horrid Wilting is, as I implied, likewise a guaranteed rogue-killer.

Horrid Wilting is, as I implied, likewise a guaranteed rogue-killer

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so then whats your point? you think Horrid Wilting should be changed?

Mage Bolts looks more or less fine. Given that Scorching Ray inflicts 12d6 at 2nd level, I'd say that not having to make a touch attack and changing over to force damage is probably reasonable in exchange for one higher level and at the cost of 2d6 damage.

Vacuum Burst is probably slightly too strong. In terms of pure damage, it matches Cone of Cold, but since it does an unnamed damage type, it should probably be pegged at around 6th.

Gravity Warp is, again, slightly too powerful. It is more powerful than Horrid Wilting, at 8th (though, arguably, the 3.5 Horrid Wilting is too weak...this is certainly a line of argument I'd be willing to stick to) since it affects all type of creatures (undead etc. are immune to HW), but is partially mitigated by the expensive material component. Perhaps bump this to 8th?