Halloweeny Spells

[CombatWombat51]

Just a couple I was working on... the reason I'm posting is so that I could get some feedback on what people think the balance is on these. They sorta explore newish directions in spells, at least as far as the core rules are concerned.


Drain Life
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

A sickish green ray streaks at a target within range. If you hit a living creature, it takes 1d4 damage per caster level (max 15d4) from negative energy, and you’re healed for an equal amount. Any excess points over your maximum hit points are added as temporary hit points that last for one hour. If the victim makes his saving throw, he only suffers half damage, and you don’t gain any hit points.
If an undead creature or evil outsider is the target of the spell, the effects are reversed as though you were the target of the spell.


Exterminate
Necromancy [Death]
Level: Sor/Wiz 0
Components: S
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: Ray
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

A thin black line of negative energy shoots from your finger. If you hit an animal or vermin that’s Tiny, or smaller, and has less than 2 hit points, it is instantly slain.


Foul Desire
Divination [Evil]
Level: Clr 3, Wiz 4
Components: V, S (see text)
Casting Time: 1 full round
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude half (see text)
Spell Resistance: No

You implore dark powers to grant you knowledge at the price of your essence. Choose any spell you know. That spell is now prepared, even if you don’t have any slots available.
As an additional cost, you take 4 points of temporary Constitution damage. You take half damage if you make a Fortitude save with a DC of 14 plus the level of the spell. If you fail the save with a natural one, you suffer one point of permanent Constitution damage.


Succubus’s Embrace
Necromancy [Evil]
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: S (I)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch (see text)
Target: Creature touched
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You can drain vitality from a living creature, and they may not notice until it’s too late. You can either make a normal touch attack to affect the target (and the target gets a save), or you can attempt to trick the victim.
The victim takes 1 point of temporary Constitution damage per round that you maintain the touch. If they’re voluntarily maintaining contact, such as during a kiss, they must make a Wisdom check to notice the drain (DC 14 + your Cha modifier), and they don’t get a saving throw until they succeed at the Wisdom check. Every point of Constitution you drain is added to your Constitution score.
The bonus to your Constitution score wears off at a rate of 1 point per hour, and the victim regains their Constitution at the regular rate.
If an undead creature or evil outsider is the target of the spell, the effects are reversed as though you were the target of the spell (including not realizing that you’re being drained).

 

[Al]

Foul Desire has a major loophole...cast Foul Desire to get a Heal.

Cast Heal upon self, curing all ability damage *and* all the useful benefits of Heal. Alternately, use Foul Desire repeatedly to get a bunch of high-level smackdown spells, and then simply cast a spell such as Heal to restore all ability damage.

For example, I am a 20th level cleric with 18 Con (not unreasonable). I can probably cast this spell five or six times safely (can't be bothered to crunch the numbers since the Fort save drops after each casting) then simply cast Heal. Net result: 6 3rd level spells + 1 6th level spell = 6 9th level spells.

Another loophole is for undead casters.

It's a nice idea, but needs to be totally reworked. Even Limited Wish can only allows spells up to 6th level, and has an XP hit (worse than Con damage); Wish can only go up to 8th level, and has a serious XP hit. For a spell that can grant 9th level spells as a *3rd level spell* with only a measly few points of Con damage, I'm afraid it is broken.

 

[CombatWombat51]

Yipes! Broken is right... thanks for pointing out that problem that was hiding in plane sight... I totally forgot about limited wish, and such. I suppose I'll have to think of a different cost, though I'm trying to avoid the icky XP costs which I hate so very, very much.

Any comments on the others?

 

[Nifft]

I'll have to think of a different cost, though I'm trying to avoid the icky XP costs which I hate so very, very much.

Consider putting a limit on the level of the spell that's recovered. If you made it an [Evil] 5th-level spell which let a Cleric re-prepare up to 4 levels of cast spells, inculding Domain spells, I'd think it balanced without much additional cost. Perhaps some pricy M component, or the death of a living creature (like a beefed-up Death's Knell spell).

Exterminate will see use in my campaign, but as an area effect spell -- with a Cantrip that kills up to 3 less-than-one-HD Vermin in a 5-ft. radius burst, and a 1st-level spell that deals 2d6+1d6/2 levels (max 7d6) damage to a swarm or ooze.

Drain Life -- I have a similar spell. Since the "miss-or-save" mechanic could make the spell too weak, I work it as follows: if the Fort save is made, the target takes 1d4/level (max 15d4) subdual damage, and you are only healed 1/level point of damage (max 15).

Succubus' Kiss is cool as-is.

-- N