Elements of Magic - Spell Creation and Critique

[astriemer]

Banefire
Create Fire 1 / Infuse Force 2
Total MP: 3
Range: Touch
Target: A staff
Duration: 1 minute (D)

Conjures red flames around the mage’s staff, which do not harm the wielder, but add +1d6 fire damage to attacks. Additionally, the staff is reinforced and strenghthened, adding +2 to to hit and damage with each attack.

Costs: 1MP elemental weapon effect, 2 MP enhance attack effect


Variations:
1) increase fire damage by 1d6 for each additional MP spent on Create fire.
2) increase to hit and damage bonus by +1 for each MP spent on Infuse Force.


I came up with this variant of the Lord’s Fire spell, which I think is much more useful.

Eloy,
The first variation for Banefire should actually be increase fire damage by an additional +1d6 for an additional 2 MP, +2d6 for 4 MP, +3d6 for 7 MP, +4d6 for 10 MP, and +5d6 for 14 MP.
Similarly for the 2nd variation it isn't a 1 to 1 ration of bonus to MP, you could increase the attack and damge bonus by an addition +1 for 1 MP up to +5, after that it costs at least 2 MP (if not more) for each +1.

Otherwise they look good.

 

[astriemer]

BITTER AIR
Evoke Acid 3/Gen 2
DC: 12
Total MP: 5 + 1 cantrip
Range: Short (30 ft.)
Duration: Two rounds
Area: 15-ft. radius circle
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Corrosive acid fills the area of effect, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage per round. Costs: 3 MP acid damage and extra duration, 1 MP + 1 cantrip circular area, 1 MP range.

NOTE: We use a house rule that allows a cantrip to be used to extend the area of a circle by 5 foot. At least one 1 MP must be use to to create a circular area and only 1 cantrip can be added per spell. Without this rule the above spell looks like this:

BITTER AIR
Evoke Acid 3/Gen 2
DC: 12
Total MP: 5 + 1 cantrip
Range: Short (30 ft.)
Duration: Two rounds
Area: 10-ft. radius circle
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Corrosive acid fills the area of effect, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage per round. Costs: 3 MP acid damage and extra duration, 1 MP circular area, 1 MP range.

SLEEPING CIRCLE
Charm Humanoid 0/Gen 5
DC: 13
Total MP: 5
Range: Short (30 ft.)
Duration: One minute
Area: 10 ft radius burst
HD Threshold: 5 HD
Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell creates an area of light sleep from which creatures effected can be easily awoken, however they do not get a save after the first. Count lower HD creatures first up to the maximum. If only a single creature is targeted and has more than 5 HD add +1 on save for each HD above 5. Costs: 1 MP range, 1 MP area, 0 MP weak sleep, 3 MP subtle charm.

GLITTERDUST
Create Metal 0/Gen 3
DC: 11
Total MP: 3
Range: Medium (150 ft.)
Duration: 1 minute
Area: 10 ft. radius effect
Saving Throw: Will negates (blinding only)
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded and visibly outlining invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Hide checks

Most of these look great!

For Bitter Air, I think to do 3d6 for two rounds you'd have to spend 5 MP on evoke damage.

For Sleeping Circle, should probably be written Charm Humanoid 3/Gen 2.

For Glitterdust, I think to blind the creatures in the area would require using Evoke Light. How's this instead...

GLITTERDUST
Create Metal 0/Evoke Light 1/Gen 3
Total MP: 4
Range: Medium (150 ft.)
Duration: 1 minute
Area: 10 ft. radius effect
Saving Throw: Reflex negates (blinding only)
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded for 1 round and dazzled for the remainder of the duration. It also visibly outlines invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Hide checks

 

[torem13]

Spells

Most of these look great!

For Bitter Air, I think to do 3d6 for two rounds you'd have to spend 5 MP on evoke damage.

Thanks,

I'm not sure about the Evoke Acid. To get the 3d6 damage for the first round, you need 2 MP extra damage. The section on Evoke Acid states:

Acid – Dissolve
Acid coats affected creatures and objects, dealing 1d6 points of acid damage per round. The acid eventually becomes inert, but it can also be washed off with about one gallon of water for every 5-ft. square of area. A creature
can scrape acid off itself or a comparably-sized object as a full-round action, though this usually ruins the scraping implement.
Ambient: No extra damage, just mild chemical burns.
Variable: The acid lasts 1 round for each MP spent before becoming inert.

I interpreted this as needing 1 MP to get an extra round of 3d6. If not then the spell as written would mean for the extra 1 MP you get a second round doing 1d6 damage.
If I'm wrong then to get the 3d6 per round, you need 1MP for the second round and 2 MP for the 3d6 during that second round, which bring the total to 5 MP like you stated.

RangerWickett, could you clarify Evoke Acid's Variable damage and how it works?

For Sleeping Circle, should probably be written Charm Humanoid 3/Gen 2.

You're right, I forgot that suble charm belongs in the Charm category and not general enhancements.

For Glitterdust, I think to blind the creatures in the area would require using Evoke Light. How's this instead...

GLITTERDUST
Create Metal 0/Evoke Light 1/Gen 3
Total MP: 4
Range: Medium (150 ft.)
Duration: 1 minute
Area: 10 ft. radius effect
Saving Throw: Reflex negates (blinding only)
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded for 1 round and dazzled for the remainder of the duration. It also visibly outlines invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Hide checks

Nice modification. I was trying to duplicate the d20 spell of the same name. I don't have Evoke Light so I will probably use this until I do.

SHIMMERDUST
Create Metal 0/Gen 3
Total MP: 3
Range: Medium (150 ft.)
Duration: 1 minute
Area: 10 ft. radius effect
Saving Throw: N/A
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, outlining invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Hide checks.

 

[Archus]

I started up a wiki page for Elements of Magic and will probably pull over most of the spells I can find. If anyone wants to post, feel free:
http://eom.arcanearcade.com

Right now I just have some summary notes, a page hiearchy, and one standard fireball spell.

 

[Kemrain]

Spell Creation and Critique.. We've seen creation, now we see Critique.

SLEEPING CIRCLE
Charm Humanoid 0/Gen 5
DC: 13
Total MP: 5
Range: Short (30 ft.)
Duration: One minute
Area: 10 ft radius burst
HD Threshold: 5 HD
Saving Throw: Will negates
This spell creates an area of light sleep from which creatures effected can be easily awoken, however they do not get a save after the first. Count lower HD creatures first up to the maximum. If only a single creature is targeted and has more than 5 HD add +1 on save for each HD above 5. Costs: 1 MP range, 1 MP area, 0 MP weak sleep, 3 MP subtle charm.

Because Subtle Charm is a Charm enhancement, and not a General Enhancement, the HD limit of this spell is 8, not 5. Otherwise, this is perfect. That'll teach ya to power down yer own spells.

GLITTERDUST
Create Metal 0/Evoke Light 1/Gen 3
Total MP: 4
Range: Medium (150 ft.)
Duration: 1 minute
Area: 10 ft. radius effect
Saving Throw: Reflex negates (blinding only)
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded for 1 round and dazzled for the remainder of the duration. It also visibly outlines invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Hide checks

I'm not sure this spell can do what's being asked of it. The blindness looks alright, except that the dazzled effect lasts for a minute, not simply the rest of the duration (you're getting a free round, whoohoo.) The Create Metal is a problem, however. Because this spell combines two spell lists, it's not a "Simple Spell" and you forfeit any Free Cantrip effects. Any Spell Lists after the first force all spell lists involved to be 1 MP at the minimum. This, as described, is a 5 MP spell, minimum. Lastly, I know the Glitterdust spell in the PhB has a penalty to Hide, but you'd need to pay MP for that effect, and it isn't taken into account. With Illusion Light 3 you could inflict a -20 penalty to Hide, and you should be able to use Drain Air 12 to inflict a -40 penalty to Hide (can't find the rules that say you can, but damnit, I wanna!) Inflicting a -40 penalty to hide is a bit much to ask a 1MP Create Metal, and I'm sure someone could word a Illusion Shadow 3 spell so that even being covered by gold dust wouldn't make them visible, but, the concept stands.

Hope no one takes this is snarky. Just trying to clarify the rules a little, and help people make more 'correct' spells.

The Acid question was addressed in the "Questions for the Designer" thread, I do believe, but it's long and involved. Ambient Acid deals only 1d6 damage per round, and that can't be increased, only the number of rounds it deals damage can be increased. 6 MP in Varialble Ambient would get you 1d6 over 6 rounds, not 6d6.

- Kemrain the Friendly Critic.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

More goodness!

I am happily playing two EOMr casters in a game now.. a fine time to stretch the limits before unleashing my normal players...

Just one of the many nasty spells I have made for my 6th level caster:

Shadow Slayer
Short range, 10' burst,discriminating (2 MP )
Evoke: Shadow, 1D6 continuing damage (4 MP )

Slips of shadow substance break away from their normal home, violently wrapping the targets in gloomy darkness. The deep chill of the night burrows into thier bones, stealing thier life away.
(yes, I know its [Shadow] damage.. it just sounds cooler this way! )

The best part of the spell, my character has Sneak Attack ability and darkvision
Have a great day!

 

[Verequus]

Archus:

Some threads to look at:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=97882
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=87314

Kemrain:

You've missed, that with the Subtle Charm enhancement you have with "SLEEPING CIRCLE" a "Charm Humanoid 3/Gen 2" spell.

Primitive Screwhead:

Why do you need 2 times Discerning? Aren't 5 friends not enough, especially, because you won't fire this spell into an area, where are more friends than foes, anyway.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Shadow Slayer

RW, 1MP for Discerning, 1MP for the short range burst...The discerning is to make the spell stick after the bad guys move away from whatever choke point they got hit in.

The 'nicest' thing about the spell is that each of the targets radiate the free 'gloom' affect as they stumble about.. at least from my point of view

 

[astriemer]

I'm not sure this spell can do what's being asked of it. The blindness looks alright, except that the dazzled effect lasts for a minute, not simply the rest of the duration (you're getting a free round, whoohoo.) The Create Metal is a problem, however. Because this spell combines two spell lists, it's not a "Simple Spell" and you forfeit any Free Cantrip effects. Any Spell Lists after the first force all spell lists involved to be 1 MP at the minimum. This, as described, is a 5 MP spell, minimum. Lastly, I know the Glitterdust spell in the PhB has a penalty to Hide, but you'd need to pay MP for that effect, and it isn't taken into account. With Illusion Light 3 you could inflict a -20 penalty to Hide, and you should be able to use Drain Air 12 to inflict a -40 penalty to Hide (can't find the rules that say you can, but damnit, I wanna!) Inflicting a -40 penalty to hide is a bit much to ask a 1MP Create Metal, and I'm sure someone could word a Illusion Shadow 3 spell so that even being covered by gold dust wouldn't make them visible, but, the concept stands.


- Kemrain the Friendly Critic.

My bad, I was trying to suggest a modification of someone else's spell and didn't think about the fact that the create metal was still a 0 MP effect. You're right it should be
Create Metal 1 / Evoke Light 1 / Gen 3
and thus a 5 MP spell.

Regarding the extra round of blindness, can't you always choose to have an effect last for less than the maximum duration for flavor?

I'm not sure that you would "need" to pay extra for the hide penalty effect. One could assume that the -40 penalty from the PHB is just a mechanical description for what the bright glittering dust has on a person's chance to hide. Thus the -40 could be just a description for what the dust created by the Create Metal 1 illuminated by the Create Light 1 does, rather than be a separate effect. I agree though that looking at if from just the 1 MP create metal does seem extreme.

 

[Archus]

Grabbed all of the spells I could find here (about 140) and put them on an EoMR wiki:
http://arcana.arcanearcade.com/

I'll add something to publish all the spells to one web page soon. Probably will add some spells of my own soon.