Complete Divine: Feats & Spells

[Kalendraf]

I spent a few minutes last night re-reading some of the spells mentioned by Elder-Basilisk. The one that really seems overpowered to me is the Quillblast spell. The main problem I see is that it doesn't scale at all with caster level. In the right situation, it can do up to 24d6 of damage to multiple targets. They do get a reflex save to avoid half the quills, but that seems way too powerful for a 5th level druid spell. The number of quills that strike the target is based on size (tiny or smaller = 1, small = 1d4, medium = 2d6, large = 3d6, huge = 4d6). Each quill not only dishes out 1d6 damage, but it also imposes a -1 on attacks, saves and checks. Creatures trying to remove the quills suffer another 1d6 unless they make a heal check. I really think this spell should scale with character level. As written, it also requires a lot of dice rolling. For area spells, I much prefer a single mass roll for damage along with saves. Otherwise it begins to take too much time to resolve a single spell.

One option could be to reduce the size & damage of the quills, but that doesn't necessarily fix the problem. My proposed method of fixing Quillblast is to make the number of quills become a static number based on the druid level. For example:

Tiny - 1 quill
Small - 1 quill per 5 druid levels
Medium - 1 quill per 2 druid levels
Large - 3 quills per 4 druid levels [(3 x CL) / 4, round down]
Huge - 1 quill per druid level

This way, a lower level druid isn't getting the maximum spell effect, while higher level druids begin to approach it. The reflex save for half would still be in effect, dropping the number of quills by half & rounding down.


For Nature's Favor, I propose changing the bonus to +1 per 3 druid levels, essentially making it become a Druid version of divine favor.


The cometfall spell doesn't seem too strong, but maybe I'm missing something. It basically scales as 1d6 per caster level by gaining 2d6 every even level, and only hits a 10x10 area. In areas with a lower ceiling, it will be less effective. It does have the added advantage of being able to knock characters prone and filling the squares with rubble, causing movement reduction and possible adding cover. It has a reflex save for half. None of that seems too far-fetched for a 6th level cleric spell.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

I spent a few minutes last night re-reading some of the spells mentioned by Elder-Basilisk. The one that really seems overpowered to me is the Quillblast spell. The main problem I see is that it doesn't scale at all with caster level. In the right situation, it can do up to 24d6 of damage to multiple targets. They do get a reflex save to avoid half the quills, but that seems way too powerful for a 5th level druid spell. The number of quills that strike the target is based on size (tiny or smaller = 1, small = 1d4, medium = 2d6, large = 3d6, huge = 4d6). Each quill not only dishes out 1d6 damage, but it also imposes a -1 on attacks, saves and checks. Creatures trying to remove the quills suffer another 1d6 unless they make a heal check. I really think this spell should scale with character level. As written, it also requires a lot of dice rolling. For area spells, I much prefer a single mass roll for damage along with saves. Otherwise it begins to take too much time to resolve a single spell.

My problem is primarily with the attack and save penalty. At an average of -7 to attacks and saves for medium creatures on failed save, it's the equivalent of a maximized and empowered enervation in an area with a save for 1/2 instead of a ranged touch attack. (OK, Enervation does a few things that Quill Blast doesn't do and the area effect is somewhat inconvenient, but it also isn't negated by Death Ward and undead aren't immune to it and it gets more effective against bigger foes).

Quill Blast+Ray of enfeeblement will easily take a large monster that used to be attacking at +20 down to +7 or so. It will easily take a normal foe who usually saves at +10-+15 to +3 to +5. So, apart from the damage, all it takes is one quill blast to turn a challenging combat to an easy one.

Quill Blast plus Finger of Death or Hold Monster or Cloudkill or Evard's Black Tentacles=a lot of dead monsters who might as well get no save.

One option could be to reduce the size & damage of the quills, but that doesn't necessarily fix the problem. My proposed method of fixing Quillblast is to make the number of quills become a static number based on the druid level. For example:

Tiny - 1 quill
Small - 1 quill per 5 druid levels
Medium - 1 quill per 2 druid levels
Large - 3 quills per 4 druid levels [(3 x CL) / 4, round down]
Huge - 1 quill per druid level

This way, a lower level druid isn't getting the maximum spell effect, while higher level druids begin to approach it. The reflex save for half would still be in effect, dropping the number of quills by half & rounding down.

It wouldn't solve the problem which is the attack and save penalty. The damage is pretty ugly too but PCs and monsters can take damage.

For Nature's Favor, I propose changing the bonus to +1 per 3 druid levels, essentially making it become a Druid version of divine favor.

That would certainly make it more reasonable. (Though I would be happier with druids not having any version of Divine Favor; they're good enough as it is without being able to do everything the other spellcasters can do).

The cometfall spell doesn't seem too strong, but maybe I'm missing something. It basically scales as 1d6 per caster level by gaining 2d6 every even level, and only hits a 10x10 area. In areas with a lower ceiling, it will be less effective. It does have the added advantage of being able to knock characters prone and filling the squares with rubble, causing movement reduction and possible adding cover. It has a reflex save for half. None of that seems too far-fetched for a 6th level cleric spell.

None of those should seem far-fetched for a 6th level sor/wizard spell. For a cleric/druid spell, that much is over the top. Add in a few more facts and it's really ugly:
1. No limit to its scaling. At epic levels where everything else stops scaling, it doesn't. This isn't an issue in most campaigns but will be in some.
2. It doesn't allow SR. All of the comparable damage spells on the Sor/Wiz and Clr and Drd lists allow SR. A no-SR area effect damage spell without a cap doesn't belong on the Cleric and druid list and certainly doesn't belong at 6th level.
3. It's non-elemental damage so there's no way to avoid it through magic. The other non-elemental damage spells (Disintegrate, Horrid Wilting) are either much higher level or single target (with a touch attack AND a save), allow SR, and are Sor/Wiz spells not Clr or Drd spells.
4. Not only does it max the damage cap for an area effect spell of its level, it also has nifty and useful secondary effects. (The rubble creation and trip effects).

 

[Kalendraf]

My problem is primarily with the attack and save penalty. At an average of -7 to attacks and saves for medium creatures on failed save, it's the equivalent of a maximized and empowered enervation in an area with a save for 1/2 instead of a ranged touch attack. (OK, Enervation does a few things that Quill Blast doesn't do and the area effect is somewhat inconvenient, but it also isn't negated by Death Ward and undead aren't immune to it and it gets more effective against bigger foes).

Quill Blast+Ray of enfeeblement will easily take a large monster that used to be attacking at +20 down to +7 or so. It will easily take a normal foe who usually saves at +10-+15 to +3 to +5. So, apart from the damage, all it takes is one quill blast to turn a challenging combat to an easy one.

Quill Blast plus Finger of Death or Hold Monster or Cloudkill or Evard's Black Tentacles=a lot of dead monsters who might as well get no save.

I've done some more thinking on this, and I agree that the -1 per quill penalty is pretty devastating to large & huge monsters. Logically, those larger foes should feel less of an effect per quill, since most of them would have thicker and thicker hides that the quills (which don't change size from what I can tell) would be less likely to penetrate. While it might make sense for a human with 4 big quills in their arms, chest and legs might be -4 on their rolls, it doesn't make sense that a giant having those same 4 quills would be as badly affected.

Thus, I'm considering either a max penalty, or a division for larger-size creatures. I think the division might make more sense. Here's an example:

Tiny - 1 quill max, -1 penalty per quill
Small - 1 quill per 5 caster levels, -1 penalty per quill
Medium - 1 quill per 2 caster levels, -1 penalty per 2 quills (round down)
Large - 3 quills per 4 caster levels [(3 x CL) / 4, round down], -1 penalty per 3 quills (round down)
Huge - 1 quill per caster level, -1 penalty per 4 quills (round down)