Converting Psionic Creatures

[freyar]

Modeling off shocking grasp works, since it's a touch thing. I'd say it expends the spell level.

 

[Shade]

Modeling off shocking grasp works, since it's a touch thing. I'd say it expends the spell level.

Good call.

 

[Cleon]

Good call.

Sounds like a plan!

Care to rough something out?

 

[freyar]

Arcane/Eldritch/Mystic Shock (Su): A magical leech can expend spell levels as an immediate action to shock any creature touching it. This does 1d6 points of electrical damage for the first spell level expended plus an additional 1d6 points electrical damage for each additional two spell levels the leech expends. (Care for a save for half?) (Allow the leech to make a touch attack?)

 

[Cleon]

Arcane/Eldritch/Mystic Shock (Su): A magical leech can expend spell levels as an immediate action to shock any creature touching it. This does 1d6 points of electrical damage for the first spell level expended plus an additional 1d6 points electrical damage for each additional two spell levels the leech expends. (Care for a save for half?) (Allow the leech to make a touch attack?)

Hmm, the original leech did 1d3 plus 1 per absorbed spell, but this did not seem to drain its "spell levels".

The psionic leech's concussion blast has a medium range (up to 110-200 ft.) and can affect multiple targets, so I'm thinking we should/could give it an "Arcane Blast" that does the same.

Maybe give it two abilities, a "Shocking Touch" and an "Arcane Blast?", something like this:

Shocking Touch (Su): A magic leech can expend a stored spell level to shock any creature touching it. This does 1d3 points of electrical damage plus 1 point per spell level the leech had stored (including the one it just expended, so a leech with 10 spell levels inflicts a 1d3+10 damage shock and is reduced to 9 spell levels. A magic leech can also make a shocking touch as a standard touch attack, it only expends a stored spell level if the touch attack succeeds.

Arcane Blast (Sp?): A magical leech can expend its stored spell levels to release a blast of deadly energy which infallibly strikes its enemies. A magic leech's arcane blast is the equivalent of a 3rd level spell, its effective caster level is equal to the spell levels expended. The blast has a Medium range (100 ft. plus 10 ft. per spell level expended) and can hit 1 target, plus one additional target for every 3 spell levels expended past the first (2 targets at CL 4th, 3 targets at CL 7th, 4 targets at CL 10th). The blast can automatically hit any target(s) the leech can see that are within range, even in cover or concealment (although the leech cannot hit creatures in total cover or total concealment). Targets hit by an arcane blast take 1d6 [electricity?] damage, plus an additional 1d6 for every 3 spell levels above the 1st (total damage 2d6 at CL 3rd, 3d6 at CL 6th, 4d6 at CL 9th).

 

[freyar]

Well, I'm open to discussion about the strength of the shocking touch as well as its cost in levels (I like what you have there quite a bit actually, though maybe we can streamline it a bit). But I really don't think it needs to parallel the psionic leech so much that it needs a blast ability.

How about we jus take your version of the shocking touch and leave it at that? It can be used defensitively if it's an immediate action, and it can be used offensively if the leech happens to be grappling its victim anyway; it doesn't need a touch attack.

 

[Cleon]

Well, I'm open to discussion about the strength of the shocking touch as well as its cost in levels (I like what you have there quite a bit actually, though maybe we can streamline it a bit). But I really don't think it needs to parallel the psionic leech so much that it needs a blast ability.

How about we jus take your version of the shocking touch and leave it at that? It can be used defensitively if it's an immediate action, and it can be used offensively if the leech happens to be grappling its victim anyway; it doesn't need a touch attack.

Hmm, I don't mind dropping the Arcane Blast bit.

As for streamlining, I'm open to suggestions.

If we add an immediate-action to allow a "defensive shock", it could be something like.

Shocking Touch (Su): As an immediate action, a magic leech can release a burst of energy that automatically hits any creature touching the leech, doing 1d3 points of electrical damage plus 1 point per spell level the leech has stored (e.g. 1d3+10 for 10 spell levels). This costs the leech 1 spell level. A magic leech without stored spell levels cannot use shocking touch.

 

[freyar]

Yes, that seems great to me!

 

[Cleon]

Yes, that seems great to me!

Maybe we should make it clear the spell level cost is not subtracted from the damage? Something like, "This costs the leech 1 stored spell level, subtracted after the shocking touch does its damage."

 

[freyar]

I think the example already clears that up, so there's no need to add more text.