Immediate-action Spell - Revised and Now Named "Kelleris's Antecedent Assailment"

[Kelleris]

EDIT: Some excellent suggestions for names. See post no. 16.

Kelleris's Antecedent Assailment
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action (and see text)
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

By casting Kelleris's antecedent assailment you invoke a whirling storm of coruscating blue light that manifests as a ray, dealing 1d6 force damage per caster level (max. of 15d6).

Because of the unusual nature of the particles of this ray, Kelleris's antecedent assailment actually strikes before you cast the spell. As a result, you may strike a creature with it as an immediate action, at any point during the round, even if it is not your turn. However, you must take a standard action on your next turn to cast the spell, or suffer temporal backlash.

If for some reason you are unable or unwilling to actually cast Kelleris's antecedent assailment on your next turn, you are stunned for one round as you suffer paradox backlash, unless you succeed on a Fortitude save against your save DC for Kelleris's antecedent assailment. You also lose the prepared spell or spell slot for Kelleris's antecedent assailment, as though you had cast it normally. Any creature damaged by your casting of this spell is also immediately healed by 1d6 points per (your) caster level (max. of 15d6), as the universe attempts to correct for the temporal anomaly. Even if the creature was slain by your spell, this healing can restore the creature from negative hit points. This is not a magical effect; it is an automatic function of the nature of the universe, and cannot be prevents by any means, mortal or divine.

Decreasing the casting time of Kelleris's antecedent assailment, such as by means of the Quicken Spell feat, reduces the casting time proper, and has no effect on the time required to originally invoke the spell.

So, what do you think? I like the idea of a serious, good-damage spell castable as an immediate action (the tactical possibilities are tasty), and I thought this would be a cool concept and balancing mechanism.

EDIT: Here's the paradox-proof version -

Chorn's Antecedent Assailment
Evocation [Force]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action (and see text)
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

By casting Chorn's antecedent assailment you invoke a whirling storm of coruscating blue light that manifests as a ray, dealing 1d6 force damage per caster level (max. of 15d6).

Because of the unusual nature of the particles of this ray, Chorn's antecedent assailment actually strikes before you cast the spell. As a result, you may strike a creature with it as an immediate action, at any point during the round, even if it is not your turn. However, you must take a standard action on your next turn to cast the spell, or suffer temporal backlash.

If for some reason you are unable or unwilling to actually cast Kelleris's antecedent assailment on your next turn, you are stunned for one round as you suffer paradox backlash, unless you succeed on a Fortitude save against your save DC for Chorn's antecedent assailment. You also lose the prepared spell or spell slot for Kelleris's antecedent assailment, as though you had cast it normally. Any creature damaged by your casting of this spell is also immediately healed by whatever amount of damage the spell dealt, even bringing the creature "back to life" in some cases. This is not a magical effect; it is an automatic function of the nature of the universe, and cannot be prevents by any means, mortal or divine.

Decreasing the casting time of Chorn's antecedent assailment, such as by means of the Quicken Spell feat, reduces the casting time proper, and has no effect on the time required to originally invoke the spell.

The original version of this spell was reputed to have the rare side effect of removing its caster from the timestream. To avert this possibility, a dilligent mage has revised the spell to increase the precision of the automatic paradox-correction.

EDIT: Changed the effect description a little bit to make it less sci-fi. "Coruscating blue" is still the classic color of a temporal anomaly, though.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Hmm... interesting concept. I really like it. Mind if I use it in my own campaigns?

 

[Kelleris]

No problem. Wouldn't post it otherwise, y'know. Glad you like it!

What do you think of the spell's level? It was kinda hard to pinpoint, especially with the odd casting time, force damage, and combined save and ranged touch required.

 

[UltimaGabe]

No problem. Wouldn't post it otherwise, y'know. Glad you like it!

What do you think of the spell's level? It was kinda hard to pinpoint, especially with the odd casting time, force damage, and combined save and ranged touch required.

Hmm... not too sure, although I'd say (with my amazing knowledge of balance and all that- and by amazing I mean almost non-existent) that it's a good level. At first glance, the damage is good (up to 15d6 of a type that can't be negated through resistance), but it allows spell resistance, allows a Will save for half, and it only targets one person (as opposed to an area). It's powerful as an Immediate Action, but it still requires you to take a Standard Action on your next turn, so it's not as amazingly powerful as it appears. And I like the drawbacks if you aren't able to actually cast it- it's a good drawback, and there should be more spells like this, in my opinion.

 

[Ferrix]

Spiffy mechanic Kelleris, for a better name perhaps Temporal Lash?

Although the Will for half doesn't entirely make sense, mind describing the reason for it being Will rather than another save? I think the fact that a) it gives a save for half, b) is affected by spell resistance, and c) requires a touch attack, makes it partly weak for a 6th level spell.

Compare it to the Orb of Force spell. Level 4 vs. Level 6, Medium Range vs. Short Range, No Save vs. Will Save for Half, No SR vs SR, Ray vs. Ray, 10d6 max vs. 15d6 max., Standard Action vs. Immediate + Standard Action. The Orb of Force is better in nearly all cases, except for maximum damage and the ability to use it as an immediate action.

Considering that two levels is half of a quickened spell increase, I'd say drop the Will save, at the very least and don't allow it to heal back more than it was dealt. And it won't be too good as a 6th level spell, since you still have to hit with a ranged touch attack and penetrate SR.

 

[Kelleris]

The Will save is some vague idea that Will would resist a time attack. I'm not sure what the actual save should be. Guess I'll drop the save and leave the ranged touch instead.

Not sure I'm entirely comfortable using Orb of Force as a balance measure here. Probably drop the save and leave it 6th until I get more feedback.

The spell can "accidentally" heal more than it dealt, but it could also end up dealing damage from a spell that was never technically cast. I just like that as flavor really - there's no net benefit on average, but it's fun to roll and gets across a "rough correction of paradox" feel. The healing is meant simply to undo the damage dealt. Perhaps I could allow a save versus the stunning backlash to beef it up a little bit?

EDIT: Hmm... I just checked some caps. Cone of cold tops out at 15d6, Otiluke's freezing sphere at 15d6, chain lightening at 20d6, and delayed blast fireball at 20d6. So it looks like 6th-level spells straddle the 15/20d6 gap. Maybe boosting the dice cap would bump the power level up just a smidge?

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I like this spell. It's cool.

 

[comrade raoul]

What a great spell! I'd second the name "Temporal Lash," though I think it might be conceptually appropriate to eliminate the ray aspect of the spell and just allow it to always hit. This would also knock the power level up enough to put it squarely in the 6th-level camp if your'e having doubts about that.

 

[gamecat]

awesome spell!

 

[Ferret]

I love the idea, I cracked a huge grin when I read it's cast before you cast it. Temporal lash sounds like psionic power though. I'm thinking quantum something, but I don't know what.