A few spells

[Knowledge Sinkhole]

I'd like some aid in correctly assigning spell levels to the following spells. It would be most beneficial if you would describe why you think a spell should be a certain level, and/or changes that might put it at the level I've listed. Thanks in advance!

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Too hard to balance, so dropping:

Brains Over Brawn
Enchantment
Level: Sor/Wiz 4?
Components: V,S
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Casting Time: 1 action
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

With a fierce burst of mental energy, you sap the target's
strength. They are dealt 1d6 temporary Strength damage
per point of the caster's Intelligence modifier (maximum of
10d6).
This spell does not affect creatures without a
strength score, such as wraiths.

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Thought Vampire
Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5?
Components: V,S,M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: Creature touched
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

You drain a portion of the subject's Intelligence, adding it to
your own. The amount of Intelligence drained is equal to the
subject's Intelligence modifier; Thus, 5 points for a creature
with an Intelligence score of 20, 2 points for a creature with
an Intelligence score of 14, and so on. Creatures with no
Intelligence score, or with one of less than 12 are not affected.
Upon failing the will save, the subject's Intelligence is
immediately lowered by the amount indicated above. At the same
time, the caster recieves a leech bonus to his Intelligence equal
to that same amount.
This effect is permanent, unless the spell is broken in
some way, such as by the death of the subject. When the spell is
ended, the subject's Intelligence is immediately restored, and the
caster loses the bonus to his own Intelligence.
While a caster may have multiple instances of the thought
vampire in effect at once, the bonuses do not stack. Having
the spell active on multiple targets would, however, result in
having backup bonuses should a subject break the spell at some
point.
Thought vampire can be ended by break enchantment,
limited wish, remove curse, miracle, or wish. Dispel magic
does not affect it.

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Mind Games
Enchantment [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6?
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: Permanent (D)
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistence: Yes

You trap the target's mind within a mental puzzle. If they
succeed at an intelligence check (DC equal to 16 + caster's
intelligence modifier), they escape the puzzle immediately,
and the spell has no lasting effect on them. If they fail,
their conciousness remains locked within the puzzle.
Creatures without an Intelligence score high enough to
possibly make the check may instead make a Will save,
albeit at a -10 penalty. Future checks must be made as
normal, however (see below).
While trapped in the mental puzzle, the target's
body is unconcious. Unconcious creatures are treated as
though they had effective Strength and Dexterity scores
of 0. Among the obvious effects include falling prone and
helpless, and dropping anything they may have been holding.
The puzzle lasts for an indefinite amount of time.
As a standard action, the target may attempt to free
themselves, granting a new intelligence check. Success ends
the spell immediately. Creatures without an intelligence
modifier high enough to beat the DC remain trapped within
the puzzle forever, unless the spell is negated by some
other means.
While within the puzzle, the target cannot use
any spells or other activated abilities they may have,
as they are not able to utilize normal thought processes.
This spell has no effect on creatures without an
intelligence score, nor those without advanced cognitive
ability (such as animals).
Mind Games can be ended by break enchantment,
limited wish, remove curse, miracle, or wish. Dispel magic
does not affect it.
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Mute Arrow
Transmutation
Level: Wiz/Sor 1?
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Target: 1 arrow/5 levels
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistence: Yes

When the arrow imbued with this spell strikes its target,
they are rendered unable to speak. This prevents the casting
of spells with a verbal component, among the obvious effects.
A successful will save negates the effect, though the arrow
deals damage normally. The speech loss is permanent, unless dispelled.
The caster can imbue one arrow with this ability
per five caster levels he posseses.

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Mental Wave
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4?
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft/2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: See text
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell allows you to either pull things to you or
push things away from you using your mind. This is
accomplished in the form of a ray effect, which has an
effective Strength score of 30.
To target objects, you make a ranged touch attack
against them. If you hit an item that another creature
is holding (such as a weapon), you and the creature
holding the item must make opposed rolls, as if you were
making a normal disarm attempt. You add your base attack
bonus and the ray's Strength bonus(+10) to your roll. Your
opponent uses a melee attack roll, modified by +4 if she
is using a weapon in two hands. If the weapon is larger
or smaller than your size, your opponent gets an additional
+/-4 per size category difference. If you win the opposed
roll, the weapon flies from your opponent's hand to your own
(if attempting to pull), or is whisked up to 30 feet away
from your opponent in a direct line from yourself(if
attempting to push). If you hit an attended item, such as
a weapon at someone's belt, the creature wearing the item
can make a Reflex save to keep hold of the item.
If you hit an unattended item that is not secured
nor too heavy for the ray to lift, it flies to your hand,
or is pushed away from you for up to 30 feet. If the item
is secured in some way, you can make a Strength check
(using the Strength bonus of the ray) to break or burst
whatever is restricting it.
When targeting creatures, a ranged touch attack
is also required. If successful, the creature suffers
a bull rush attack, forcing them to make an opposed
Strength check against the ray. It is considered Medium
size. The direction of the bull rush is determined by
whether you are attempting to push or pull the creature.
If successful, the creature is pushed (or pulled) 5 feet,
plus 1 foot for every point by which the ray beats their
Strength check. If this results in a collision with an
immovable object, such as a wall, they are pushed no
further.
Using this spell's effect is a standard action.

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Archer's Spirit
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4?
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level

Your spell harnesses the talent of the archers of legend, giving
you a base attack bonus equal to that of a fighter of your total
character level when making ranged attacks. This may result in
additional attacks per round.

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That's it for now. More forthcoming, just have to mess with them a bit.

 

[Knowledge Sinkhole]

Really? No one has any responses?

 

[Michael Morris]

Not to sound rude, but the first one is so horribly unbalanced I suspect that many people just skipped the rest of the post. Compare the first to ray of enfeeblement.

 

[Knowledge Sinkhole]

Well, Ray of Enfeeblement can give up to a 1d6+5 penalty to the target's strength, as a first level spell. A maximum of 10d6 is quite a step up from that, yes, but it would require the caster to have an Intelligence of 30 or higher (certainly doable, but not necessarily easy for a lower level caster). Also, keep in mind that this spell isn't fatal; the worse it can do is make them helpless (yes, I know it amounts to the same thing, in most situations). Hold Person accomplishes the same thing, and is 3rd level. And yes, its duration is just 1 round/level, but it requires quite a high intelligence combined with decent rolls in order to actually damage most things to the point of helplessness. Oh, and the spell level was supposed to be listed as 4th; my bad.

 

[Mildwind Talisar]

Brains Over Brawn
Enchantment
Level: Sor/Wiz 4?
Components: V,S
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Casting Time: 1 action
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

With a fierce burst of mental energy, you sap the target's
strength. They are dealt 1d6 Strength damage per point
of the caster's Intelligence modifier (maximum of 10d6).
This spell does not affect creatures without a
strength score, such as wraiths.

The minimum damage would be 2d6 since an Int of 14 (+2) is required to cast a 4th level spell. I don't know of a spell that ever uses a caster's modifier for damage calculation. And is the Str damage permanent or temporary?
I suggest just having it be 1d4 + 1 per 2 caster levels temporary Strength damage. This makes it more effective at higher levels and more balanced.

 

[Knowledge Sinkhole]

Strength damage, like any ability score damage, is temporary. It heals at a rate of 1 per day naturally, and can be completely cured by a Restoration spell.

Also, the point of the spell is that it increases with the caster's intelligence. Having it scale with level would make it easier to assign a spell level to, certainly, but that would completely change the spell. It is because of that difficulty that I've asked for some input

 

[Destil]

Temporary ability score damage is temporary. There is also perminent ability score damage.

 

[Knowledge Sinkhole]

Though the core books seem to like the term "permanent ability drain" rather than damage, you make a good point. The spell is supposed to inflict temporary Strength damage. Edited.

 

[Stalker0]

I agree that the first spell is terribly broken. However, some of the later ones I thought were very interesting.

 

[Destil]

Brains Over Brawn is almost impossible to balance properly.

Thought vampire should have a named bonus, I think. Enhancement would be best, I have a hard time with a spell that adds a new unlabled, perminent ability bonus. It may even work as a 4th level spell if you did that, as is I'd make it 7th +, the stacks with everything benifit is too good.

Mind Games: Note that unconcious creatures have an effective Dex score of 0. (Loose all bonus makes me think that they loose any positive bonus). My only problem is that it dosn't allow a saving throw, and this skirts the natural defense that someone has against mental attacks, making it quite unfair in some instances. I would either change it to escaping by a Will Save modified by Int, or allow an initial will save and make someone who fails get a check only once per minuet, rather than as a standard action.

Mute arrow should be at least the same level as blindness / deffness, I think. The're roughly compairable in effect, and mute arrow deals damage, can be given to a fighter et cetera. If anything a basic mute spell would be 2nd and this would be 3rd (since you can affect 1 target / 5 levels).

Mental wave I would give an effective strength score of your Int (if a wizard) or your Cha (if a sorcerer), and note that the spell shouldn't be able to bull-rush a creature beyond the edge of close range... Otherwise looks good.

Archer's Spirit: In general, I'm not a big fan of changinf BAB, as I find it sloppy. An enhancement bonus or a compentance bonus to attack rolls I can buy, but changing BAB is a pain and illogical in my opinion.m (Tenser's Transformation and Divine Might I dislike for this reason)