[3E/C&C] What level would you make this spell?

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My wife wants to play a swamp witch type character (we're thinking a half-orc wizard/cleric multiclass with a toad familiar). As part of the package, we're going to reskin a bunch of her spells to make them more swampy (acid damage instead of other energy types, a summon monster table full of frogs and other swamp critters, etc.).

I'm also working on a low level spell I'm calling The Ugly Stick. The spell would last one round per level and, while it lasts, the caster has to hit in melee with a club or quarterstaff (I may require it to be specially prepared ahead of time, similar to several druid spells). If it does, the victim takes a point of Charisma damage in addition to other damage. (This would heal like any other ability score damage -- standard rules there.)

My sense is that, while this could in theory be a bad news spell for a high level caster with good melee skills, who uses haste and maybe a magical weapon, it's a lot easier at that point to render a victim catatonic in some other fashion. So, at the levels it's likely to be used, we're talking about the typical victim taking two or three points of Charisma damage, assuming the caster hits in melee every time, which is obviously not a guaranteed thing.

So, what would you say? Level 1 spell? Lower? Higher?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Voadam]

Compare it to chill touch that does 1d6 plus str damage with a save?

Perhaps Shillelagh (sp?) is a good baseline for club enhancing spells?

Ice knife does cold damage then save for dex damage, one shot ranged.

No save is the tricky part. Ray of enfeeblement for comparison?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Here's the current version. Thoughts?

Ugly Stick
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: Creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

When struck by a club or quarterstaff wielded by the user, via a successful melee touch attack, the victim finds their personality diminished and their appearance becoming less attractive.

The touched creature takes 1d3 points of Charisma damage. The caster can inflict this damage up to once per round on a successful melee touch attack.

 

[Ranes]

I'd make it more like Shillelagh. The spell is targeted upon the club or quarterstaff carried. The spell only takes effect on the victim if it's the caster who wields the affected club or quarterstaff for that attack. Duration is one round per level (up to a maximum of 5 rounds).

You could make it a cleric spell and create a swamp domain (if there isn't one already). Then the character could cast it at +1 caster level as a domain spell.

I really like the idea and the character concept. Oodles of boggy fun.