Better than the Orb spells

[kerbarian]

Melf's Unicorn Arrow from PHBII. It's longer range (medium), lower level (3rd), untyped damage, more damage, and still ignores SR. It also bull rushes the target, which could be handy for making the target provoke attacks of opportunity.

The "more damage" claim is only true at high levels, though. The Orb spells are mostly 1d6/level, and Melf's Unicorn Arrow is 1d8+8 per horn, with 1 horn + 1 per 3 levels above 5th (max 5 horns). It does more damage than Orb of Sound at caster level 8+, more than Orb of Force at 11+, and more than the other Orbs at 14 and 17+ (it's 1 point shy at 11th). Also, an empowered MUA only takes a 5th-level slot.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Now, I don't have PHB II, but wouldn't the horns be treated as a volley (so precision on only 1 horn)?
Also, the horns would face damage reduction since it's a physically conjured effect, right?

It does sound pretty strong, as you say.... (but I'm not entirely qualified to comment, since I haven't actually seen this spell).

 

[kerbarian]

Now, I don't have PHB II, but wouldn't the horns be treated as a volley (so precision on only 1 horn)?
Also, the horns would face damage reduction since it's a physically conjured effect, right?

It's a separate ranged touch attack for each horn, so I think you'd get precision damage separately for each one. Which is actually another advantage, if the attacker has sneak attack damage or something.

It's a conjuration spell, but it doesn't have the creation subschool (or any subschool), and it's described as "A translucent unicorn shape appears in midair and speeds towards the target of this spell." The damage also isn't described as piercing, bludgeoning, etc. Sounds like spell damage to me, especially because it uses a ranged touch attack rather than a ranged attack.

Hmm, looking at that description, I got the fluff a little bit wrong -- you're firing entire unicorns at the target, not just unicorn horns

I think this is another one of those really-should-have-been-evocation conjuration spells that gets to bypass SR for no good reason.

 

[MarkB]

Now, I don't have PHB II, but wouldn't the horns be treated as a volley (so precision on only 1 horn)?

Only once per round per spell, certainly. I don't recall offhand if the different horns are targeted individually.

Also, the horns would face damage reduction since it's a physically conjured effect, right?

No. Spell damage is not subject to DR, and being a conjured effect doesn't alter that.

 

[Hypersmurf]

It's a separate ranged touch attack for each horn, so I think you'd get precision damage separately for each one. Which is actually another advantage, if the attacker has sneak attack damage or something.

Scorching Ray - with a separate touch attack per ray - is the example used in Complete Arcane of a spell that only gets precision damage with the first attack (whether or not the first attack hits).

-Hyp.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Hmmm. The spell does sound kinda out of whack. Thanks for the clarifactions guys.

With that description, it sounds a bit like Spectral Stag, then (just with multiples possible).

 

[kerbarian]

Scorching Ray - with a separate touch attack per ray - is the example used in Complete Arcane of a spell that only gets precision damage with the first attack (whether or not the first attack hits).

Ah, right, I had forgotten about that. Kindof a weird way to rule it from a logical standpoint, but it makes sense in terms of balance. So MUA would be equal to the Orbs in terms of precision damage potential.

 

[Deset Gled]

It's a conjuration spell, but it doesn't have the creation subschool (or any subschool), and it's described as "A translucent unicorn shape appears in midair and speeds towards the target of this spell."

Hmm, looking at that description, I got the fluff a little bit wrong -- you're firing entire unicorns at the target, not just unicorn horns

I think this is another one of those really-should-have-been-evocation conjuration spells that gets to bypass SR for no good reason.

Hmm....

A creature or object brought into being or transported to your location by a conjuration spell cannot appear inside another creature or object, nor can it appear floating in an empty space. It must arrive in an open location on a surface capable of supporting it.
The creature or object must appear within the spell’s range, but it does not have to remain within the range.

Emphasis mine.

According to the Conjuration description, this spell can never function. The spell states that the unicorn is created in midair, but the Conjuration description states that it must be conjured onto a surface.

Also, if you do allow the spell to work (I suppose a DM could rule that air is enough to support the unicorn in this case?), you can aim it at any creature you have line of effect to. The unicorn only has to be created within the spells range, but can travel outside of it.

I imagine these problems could be extrapolated to the Orb spells as well. As if permament non-magic orbs of force lying around wasn't enough of a problem.

 

[kerbarian]

According to the Conjuration description, this spell can never function. The spell states that the unicorn is created in midair, but the Conjuration description states that it must be conjured onto a surface.

Also, if you do allow the spell to work (I suppose a DM could rule that air is enough to support the unicorn in this case?), you can aim it at any creature you have line of effect to. The unicorn only has to be created within the spells range, but can travel outside of it.

I imagine these problems could be extrapolated to the Orb spells as well. As if permament non-magic orbs of force lying around wasn't enough of a problem.

The specific spell description always overrides the school description if there's a conflict. While you could argue that the unicorns (or orbs) can travel outside the spell's range, the spell only allows you to aim them at targets within range. In the case of the unicorns (not creation subschool), there's no reason to believe they'd stay in existence after the spell ends, so I don't see any way you could move them to outside the spell's range before they disappear.

 

[Deset Gled]

The specific spell description always overrides the school description if there's a conflict.

Can you quote a source for that? The only applicable rule I can think of is the Primary Source rule. Personally, I would consider the Magic section of the PHB/SRD to be the primary source, and override the PHBII.

While you could argue that the unicorns (or orbs) can travel outside the spell's range, the spell only allows you to aim them at targets within range.

Not so. Consider the following passages:

A spell’s range is the maximum distance from you that the spell’s effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell’s point of origin.

Some spells create or summon things rather than affecting things that are already present.
You must designate the location where these things are to appear, either by seeing it or defining it. Range determines how far away an effect can appear, but if the effect is mobile it can move regardless of the spell’s range.

Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. .

You can select a target outside of the range of a spell, as long as you have line of sight. The only requirement is that the effect of the spell (in this case, the unicorn, since it is a Conjuration spell) is created within the spell's range.

In the case of the unicorns (not creation subschool), there's no reason to believe they'd stay in existence after the spell ends,

Actually, that's another problem with this spell. The description of Conjuration says "Each conjuration spell belongs to one of five subschools," which means that all Conjuration spells must have a subschool. We just don't know which one this has. Depending on whether you consider the unicorn to be a creature, object, or energy limits the possibilities of which school it could be, but all options have some weird side effects.

Of course, I consider all of this to be academic. In a game situation, I'd probably just nix the spell.