Arcane healing spell (bear with me, would like suggestions)

[Scion]

I know, I know

Arcane healing
Conjuration? Necromancy?
Level: sor/wiz varies (1-9)
components: v, s
casting time: 1 action
range: touch
saving throw: fort half
sr: no?

The caster channels raw energy from the positive material plane, this has odd effects on creatures.

First the creature is healed for d20 hp of damage for each level of the spell. Extra points above the creatures max are wasted but if the creature would have been put up to 2x his max hp from the extra hp the creature explodes in a shower of positive energy.

Second, from the sheer blast of raw energy the creature is dazed for as many rounds as hp gained back.

Against undead this spell only does damage but there is a chance of negative energy backlash from the creature. If the creature fails its save vs the spell the caster gets a jolt of negative energy for half of the damage the undead took, fort save for half applies to this damage.

An unwilling creature gets a +4 bonus to his saving throw vs the spell.


Like I said, just something I am tossing around No screaming of broken or against the rules please, suggestions and help are what I need. Thanks all!

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

The only "official" Arcane Healing spell is the Simbul's Synostodweomer. It's a 7th level transmutation spell that lets you sacrifice 1 spell and heal 1d6 hp per spell level sacrificed.

I'd make your "healing" a temporary gain in HP.

Regarding your spell and how it is written up:

- How can a creature resist if it is put at 2X its total HP?
- I don't see the reason / logic behind the undead negative energy backlash...
- Were you thinking of having Arcane healing I-IX?

AR

 

[Scion]

This spell would work for levels 1 - 9 yes, but I could make it more clear. I'll change it.

Any arcane healing spells that are currently out there I dont care much about They are generally pretty worthless (as the one you mentioned), but not worthless in a 'hard to use' sort of way, that would be fine. They are worthless in a 'arcane magic shouldnt heal so there' sort of way. I was hopeing this would be a good start to a spell that is still very difficult to use, but is potentially useful, without being worthless.

I've seen most of them throughout the different editions, this particular spell actually comes from an old 2nd edition psionic power.

The creature gets a save for half effect (with a +4 bonus if unwilling), if the amount would put them up to 2x their max hp they die. There is no additional save. I really want the amount of healing to be incredibly random, from very low to high, that way it is difficult to predict (and control) plus it could be deadly to use on friends.

The negative energy backlash is mainly just a flavor and balancing feature, you push with positive energy and the negative energy in the undead creature pushes back. Seems fun to me, and keeps the power in line with other undead slaying spells.

 

[Nifft]

Arcane Healing IMHO:

- Necromancy!

- Converts X points into Subdual damage. This should be a "save-your-life" power, not a "keep-you-fighting" power. It might also cost the patient or wizard some ability points -- say, 2 points of Wisdom damage each time cast.

- Alternately, look at the psionic Biofeedback powers.

- Even more alternately, a spell that allows you to keep fighting until -(5 * Charisma) HP, being Staggered the whole time you're under 0 HP. When the spell runs out, you die if below -10 HP. This is a "keep-you-fighting" but not a "save-your-life" spell.

-- N

 

[ichabod]

The only "official" Arcane Healing spell is the Simbul's Synostodweomer. It's a 7th level transmutation spell that lets you sacrifice 1 spell and heal 1d6 hp per spell level sacrificed.

Actually, cure light wounds is an official arcane healing spell (bards).

As for the proposed spell, I think the condition is off. It seems like it would only come up at low levels, where you shouldn't have death effects. 1d20 also seems awfully variable. Also, unless you are running a very tightly paced game I don't think the daze effect won't be a big impediment, as it will just be used to heal after combat. But with 10 rounds on average, it could be a very powerful attack spell at low levels.

I like the basic idea though: healing that can backfire. I'd have it be a fortitude save. If you make it, you heal; if you fail, you take half damage as subdual.

 

[Scion]

the d20 is pretty variable.. that is one hope that while it can be good, it is risky.. but d20 is the biggest die I can use.. the next up is d100 (I dont know where my d30 went) At higher levels though, say 6th leve, it is 6d20. Average of 60 but with a wide degree of variance. I would prefer more varience actually, and more potential (more like 9d20 for 6th but I am unsure..) but if the character has 70 hp max and is missing 40 hp (getting close to the danger zone) this spell could be used.. it has a chance of killing your target, a chance of doing almost nothing, and a chance to heal but leave the target dazed for the rest of combat. This is really what I am trying for, danger with a chance of great success.. I had to put in the other stuff because with the death type effect it could be used as a death spell.. but it is incredibly difficult to do.

At the beginning of the battle, when the creature has the most hp generally, it has a chance of killing. Usually a very small chance as the creature gets a save with a big bonus. If the creature fails its save it might die. If the creature doesnt die then the spell did nothing (no damage was healed so no daze effect). If they use it later in battle then all it does to a bad guy is heal and daze them. So its offensive combat uses are very limited. Against undead it carries risk but can do large damage.

plus, if the healing spell is only good after combat (to avoid the dazing) then it is even better, it is good in an emergency, but bad elsewise.

If I was going to change the save I think it'd have to work in a way that creatures who want it get one type of save and those that dont want another type of save.. I'll have to think on it when I am more awake

Oh, about the arcane healing and such.. I was meaning more for sorc and wizard.. I wasnt very clear there either.. maybe it is too late and I should go to bed..lol

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

What happens when you Empower / Maximize that baby? d20 is way too high IMO because of those feats.

Also, and this is just a personal opinion, I really don't like spells/powers/classes with big effects and big drawbacks. I don't like events with a really high random factor. They're never a good idea (still IMO).

Converting damage to subdual damage is a good idea. Isn't there a spell that does that already? Don't know if it's Arcane or Divine though.

Another thing you could do (it'd be really nasty, and I think it existed as a psionic power before) is "damage transfer". If the target fails his save, a certain amount of damage that the caster has suffered is transfered to the target. The spell can't do more damage than what the wizard has suffered.

AR

 

[Scion]

As a fourth level spell it would have an incredibly low save dc (7+prime caster stat mod) for 20 'healing'. If the person wants to be healed then they are dazed for up to 20 rounds. Plus a fourth level cure spell from a cleric does 4d8 + level (up to +20) so their healing spell can be cast spontaneously, has a way better effect, and doesnt have a drawback.

The large randomness is part of the goal, so it has healing power but could also accidentally kill, so the caster has to be careful.

In addition, even if it was overpowered with empower or maximise that'd be ok in my eyes, there has to be at least one reason to 'ever' pick those feats now ;/

There are some spells in wheel of time that convert damage to subdual, and there is a psionic power that transfers wounds yes.

 

[Kyramus]

I'd suggest leaving healing in the domain of the clerics.

But if you trully want to make an arcane spell for this, I would suggest trying out a level 3 spell that allows you to connect your unused spell slots to fuel the spell and heal someone at the rate of 1d6/spell level max 10d6. Doing this, you memorize what you need including the healing spell, and leave the slots you want to use into the spell when it is casted. No backlash, acts as cure wounds spell when undead are concerned. A combination of spell levels at level 9 or 10 can give you a healing power of 9d6 or 10d6.

Not too bad I should say, and still similar to fireball except it's to one target. Scult spell might make it a much more different effect though. (sculpt spell takes it 1 level higher, so it would be level 4 for a fireball like burst that heals everyone).

Just looking at that I might even say it's a 4th level spell.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

Arcane Healing IMHO:

- Necromancy!

- Converts X points into Subdual damage. This should be a "save-your-life" power, not a "keep-you-fighting" power. It might also cost the patient or wizard some ability points -- say, 2 points of Wisdom damage each time cast.

I think the conversion to subdual is a great idea. Represents that arcane power isn't so swift with the healing. It will put you back together, but it will hurt like the dickens (hence the subdual damage). For flavor reasons, I would say that unlike divine healing, it leaves nasty scars and such, too.