(BoVD) Whirlwind of Teeth... Holy Crap!

Gotterdammerung

First Post
Hi... Does anybody know if there's been clarifications or errata for the "Whirlwind of Teeth" spell from the Book of Vile Darkness?

I've got a 15th level Gnoll Cleric about to unleash this spell on the PC's, and my jaw nearly dropped when I read the specifics:

- a 5' per level radius cylinder, with a height of 10' per level.
- it's a non-specific energy type, so not reduced by DR or energy resistance.
- 1d8 per 2 levels damage.
- 1 round/level duration
- moveable (up to 40' per round) as a free action.

So the Gnoll is going to have a 150' Diameter, 150' tall moveable spell effect which deals 7d8 points of damage per round. (average 32 points). Oh, and since it's 7th level and the cleric has a 24 Wisdom, the Reflex save ends up being DC 24...

Even if all non-evasion PC's make saves every round, if this thing reaches its maximum duration then some poor sucker is going to have taken 240 points of damage!

Unless I missed something, I say again... Holy Crap!


The only negative side I can see to this is that the damage is non-discriminating. That 150' diameter effect will rip apart the cleric and its allies just as badly as the PC's if it's not careful.
 

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No, you've got it right. Two points:

1. BoVD and BoED spells are intentionally more powerful than Core spells. DMs should choose/allow things from either book very carefully.
2. The Gnoll is 15th level, there are much worse things he could be doing than this.
 

a point I forgot...

Part of the text of the spell states: "The caster creates an opaque area of swirling energy..."

Is "opaque" used as flavor text? Or does "opaque" indicate that creatures cannot see into or out of it? Being effectively blind within this thing adds yet another layer of deadly fun to the spell if that's the case.
 

Opaque means what it says it means. It certainly isn't purely flavor, but the 'swirling' part is. As to whether or not you missed anything, I'd have to check my book at home. What are the spell components, though? I seem to remember that most of the BoVD spells sucked because of the insane requirements on components such as diseases and stuff. Does this spell allow SR?
 

Infiniti2000 said:
What are the spell components, though? I seem to remember that most of the BoVD spells sucked because of the insane requirements on components such as diseases and stuff. Does this spell allow SR?


Components: Easy. A Handful of bloody teeth. Any gnoll should have a bunch of these hanging around his neck.

Spell Resistance: Yes, it's an evocation so spell resistance will help out the party's cleric if she remembers to cast it.
 

So let me get this straight... It can move up to 40' as a free action? Couldn't you then move this 5' into an enemies square, have it do damage, move it 5' out of the square, move it 5' back into the square, have it do damage, move it 5' out... repeat until the 40' move is used up. This is assuming that damage is taken as soon as the enemy enters the spell effect.
 

RigaMortus2 said:
So let me get this straight... It can move up to 40' as a free action? Couldn't you then move this 5' into an enemies square, have it do damage, move it 5' out of the square, move it 5' back into the square, have it do damage, move it 5' out... repeat until the 40' move is used up. This is assuming that damage is taken as soon as the enemy enters the spell effect.

The damage is "per round", not "per time you enter", so no.
It's a good spell, but 7D8 is on average 32 points, 17 if you make the save (or none for evasion people). That's not going to scratch most 15th level tank types, but it might kill the mages.

All and all, I think I'd rather have an Evard's black tentacles.

-Tatsu
 


The spell description states "anyone within the area takes [1d8 per two levels] points of damage" It doesn't say when during the round the damage occurs.

That's just vague enough (in rules terms) to be taken in a number of ways.

a.) victim takes damage on the caster's turn? Does this also mean that the caster can roll the effect over enemies multiple times, as suggested above?

b.) victim takes damage on its own turn, if it's "within the effect" (like an acid arrow... chance of disrupting spellcasting.)


Just like, to me, the word "opaque" is just vague enough (in rules terms) to be problematic. Is everything inside this effect blinded? (affecting movement, dexterity, etc.) Do creatures within have total concealment? The rest of the spell description doesn't indicate one way or another so any interpretation of the spell depends on what you make of the word "opaque.".

I use Evard's all the time and know the devastation it can have on my group when they're caught unprepared. Reading through this spell, especially its area, duration and possible blindness... This spell would mulch my party like a Garden Weasel.
 

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