Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

[Cleon]

I'll agree to your "X and Y," though you need to change that first word of red text to "identify" rather than "identifies."

Yeah, I think my first version used a different sentence structure and I forgot to change the identifies when I rejigged it.

Updating the Binding Circle Working Draft.

So are we done with this one and can start on the "Binding Cage"?

 

[freyar]

Yup, let's move on.

 

[Cleon]

Yup, let's move on.

Good! I've added the spell to the Goatling Working Draft.

Any preferences for the "Binding Cage"?

We should be able to crib something from the binding circle and some similar spells in the SRD.

For a start, have we definitely settled on the name? Binding Cage is OK, since the spell summons a spherical cage of force, but it also creates chains to form a prison, so "Binding Chains" or "Binding Prison" also work. Furthermore, the diagram drawn for the spell is a "circle or pentagram" and we've used the circle part of that for the lesser version, so the greater version could be a "Binding Pentagram".

Hmm, I'm currently leaning toward using Binding Prison.

Also, we need to decide on a spell level. The Goatling gains this ability at level 11, suggesting it's a 6th level "goat magic" spell. I'd likely make it a 7th level sorcerer/wizard spell, like forcecage, to which it has some similarities.

 

[freyar]

Binding Prison is more accurate, but I think Binding Chains sounds better.

Level 6 goat, 7 sorc/wiz works for me.

 

[Cleon]

Binding Prison is more accurate, but I think Binding Chains sounds better.

Level 6 goat, 7 sorc/wiz works for me.

Okay, let's use that for now. We can always change it later if we change our minds.

Might as well start a working draft...

 

[Cleon]

Greater Binding Working Draft

Binding Cage
Conjuration (Summoning)
Level: Goat 6, Sor/Wiz 7
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 minute
Area: A circle with a radius up to 5 ft. per 2 levels
Duration: 1 week/level (plus see below)
Saving Throw: Will negates (see below)
Spell Resistance: No

This spell creates an invisible magical trap that can restrain an undead creature or a creature with the Extraplanar subtype. The caster must trace out a circle and mark it with runes that identify what creature the binding cage will trap, either by type, subtype, species, or truename (e.g. "Undead", "Tanar'ri", "Lantern Archon", or "Rexpluff the Dust Mephit"). The circle and its runes are clearly visible to any creature using see invisibility, arcane sight or true seeing.

The binding cage is triggered when a creature that matches the rune identification attempts to exit the circle. A binding cage can trap multiple creatures with the same identification if they are all within the circle when it triggers. When triggered, an invisible spherical cage of force appears that encompasses the circle and all creatures within it. In addition, the triggering creatures must succeed at a Will save or be shackled by magically conjured chains. If the binding cage's caster level is more than twice the Hit Dice of a triggering creature, it increases the save DC by 2.

Victims shackled by the chains are fixed to the space they are in, but can still act. The chains are impervious to magic and all types of energy damage, prevent dimensional travel of any kind, and can restrain a victim regardless of its shape, substance, or plane of existence - meaning a victim cannot escape by using teleportation, shapechanging, etherealness or gaseous form abilities.

A victim can only escape the chains by sheer brute force. The chains can be shattered with a Strength check (Break DC equals caster level plus 12) or a single attack that inflicts damage that's at least twice the caster level. If the chains are broken they vanish instantly but the victim is still confined within the cage of force, which remains for the duration of the binding cage spell.

The spherical cage of force has the same properties as the barred form of a forcecage spell, except its bars are far enough apart to allow the passage of creatures of Tiny size or smaller.

A binding cage is immune to dispel magic. A disintegrate spell can destroy all or part of the cage of force, but cannot affect the chains. The spherical cage of force vanishes when the spell's duration expires, but the magical chains remain and continue to restrain their victims for another 1 week per caster level (so the chains have a total duration of 2 weeks per level). The continued existence of the chains allows a spellcaster to place a new binding cage around the shackled victim to replace an binding cage whose duration has expired.

A binding cage is only be triggered once. Other creatures of the specified target class that enter and exit the circle after it is triggered will not be shackled.

The chains of a binding cage can be made permanent with a permanency spell at a cost of 3,000 XP. The cage of force aspect of the spell still has its normal duration.

Summon Coven?
?

 

[freyar]

This looks good!

I vote to have the chains be permanent.

Should we have the Str break DC be set by the usual spell DC? I guess there are probably a lot of very strong Outsiders, but I'm not sure they wouldn't also have the Will save to avoid the chains anyway. I guess the breaking damage is going to be static, though. Did you have preferred values?

 

[Cleon]

This looks good!

I vote to have the chains be permanent.

Should we have the Str break DC be set by the usual spell DC? I guess there are probably a lot of very strong Outsiders, but I'm not sure they wouldn't also have the Will save to avoid the chains anyway. I guess the breaking damage is going to be static, though. Did you have preferred values?

The main issue with the break DC is that the shackled victim will have a lot of time to make Strength checks to break free, so unless the DC is high enough to defeat a "take 20" result it's pretty much bound to break free in a few minutes.

The original spell had chains that could withstand a total of 10 hit points per caster level, divided by the number of chains - which was determined by the number of appendages that required restraints. (e.g. a 20th level caster = 200 hp, if the victim had 4 limbs that's 50 hp per limb).

I'd rather just have a level-based value that's independent of the number of limbs, though, although I would consider having it be stronger if it's only binding a single creature or weaker if it's binding many targets.

 

[freyar]

And if we make the chains withstand a take 20, that critter has no hope of breaking the chains. What if we attach some minor consequence to a failed check, so take 20 isn't allowed? Or maybe the chains are "distracting," not allowing take 20. What do you think?

I'd also rather not change the chain hp (or break DC) based on number of appendages. To keep it simple, I'd rather not change it based on number of chained creatures, either. If we want to limit it, I'd set a limit on the number of creatures that can be chained, and say they are chained in order of highest to lowest HD (or vice versa).

 

[Cleon]

And if we make the chains withstand a take 20, that critter has no hope of breaking the chains. What if we attach some minor consequence to a failed check, so take 20 isn't allowed? Or maybe the chains are "distracting," not allowing take 20. What do you think?

Even if it disallows "take 20", for this spell to bind a victim for any length of time its break DC really has to exceed 20+Str bonus otherwise the victim is bound to snap them with a bit of perseverance.

I'd also rather not change the chain hp (or break DC) based on number of appendages. To keep it simple, I'd rather not change it based on number of chained creatures, either. If we want to limit it, I'd set a limit on the number of creatures that can be chained, and say they are chained in order of highest to lowest HD (or vice versa).

I don't object to something simple, such as multiple captives apply a Break DC penalty equal to the number of chained victims.

The original spell isn't explicit about how many captives it can chain up. All the victims have to be within the spell's 3' per level radius and presumably they have to have at least 1 hit point per limb otherwise they'll shatter at the slightest movement.

It's noticeable that the spell makes no mention of a HD limit like the lesser binding spell - I guess this is deliberate and reflects the binding's ability to chain demon lords like Bielgorna (although he only has 20 HD according to his stats).