Help With Spells

[Dr. Woodenstein]

So I have two homebrew spells for a Necromancer that I found online and I'm trying to tweak them to max their power level without making them OP. The spells are as follows:


Energy Drain
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 25 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instant
Effect: Drains hit points equal to hit dice. You fire a ray of necrotic energy at the target. If it fails a Constitution save, it takes 1d6 points of damage per hit dice of the target and the caster gains temporary hit points equal to half the result. If it succeeds the saving throw, divide the damage in half and the caster does not gain temporary hit points. If the target's hit points are reduced to 0 from this spell, the target dies. These hit points can only be restored at the end of a long rest or by the effect of a Greater Restoration spell.


Soul Lance
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (65 foot line)
Components: V, S, M (Human Skull)
Duration: Instant
Effect: You fire a devastating beam of pure death energy that passes through creatures it hits. All creatures in a line 65 feet long radiating out from you must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed throw, affected creatures take 22d12 necrotic damage, or half as much on a successful save. Creatures that fail the save also have their hit points reduced by an amount equal to half the damage taken.


Both of these spells are 9th level Necromancer spells of course. Below I will detail the changes I would like to make and my thoughts on them.


Energy Drain: I feel as though 1d6 is kind of low when compared to spells like Meteor Swarm. Now Meteor Swarm doesn't gain life but Energy Drain only grants temporary hit points if your target fails their save (and lets face it high level enemies are good at Constitution saves). So I think upping Energy Drain to 1d8 or 1d10 and maybe allowing the caster temporary hit points whether the target succeeds their save or not would make it more epic like Meteor Swarm.


Soul Lance: a 65 foot line just seems weird to me. It's a weird number for D&D, so that would change to 60 foot line. Then on the damage I really like 22d12 but it almost seems too powerful. That means it can deal more damage than Meteor Swarm which has a max damage of 240 (20d6 fire and 20d6 bludgeoning). So I think 20d12 would be more balanced but if anyone thinks 22d12 would be more fitting by all means let me know. I do like the idea of changing the last clause to fit with Energy Drain and just say that damage done by this spell can only be restored by a long rest or a Greater Restoration spell.


So what does everyone think? Are my changes balanced or no? Do you have changes of your own you would suggest?

 

[Dr. Woodenstein]

If anyone could please give me their opinions on these spells it would be really helpful. I'm new to 5e and need helping balancing homebrew spells. It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[aco175]

For energy drain you can raise the damage to d8 or d10 but maybe make it a touch attack instead of ranged. If you are sucking life into yourself from someone it makes it more cinematic to be touching them. You can also make it more powerful be allowing the caster to regain the temp hp regardless if the save was made. This would make the caster tougher in the big fight and stay around a while longer.

Soul lance can be changed like what you suggested and it would be fine. I have never used it, but the 22dice damage does look powerful to all creatures in a 60ft line. I always thought several of these type of spells should be a dex save rather than con, but can see the reasoning. If you wanted to lower the damage to 16-18 dice you can give the option of a 60ft line or a 30ft cone.

 

[Dr. Woodenstein]

For energy drain you can raise the damage to d8 or d10 but maybe make it a touch attack instead of ranged. If you are sucking life into yourself from someone it makes it more cinematic to be touching them. You can also make it more powerful be allowing the caster to regain the temp hp regardless if the save was made. This would make the caster tougher in the big fight and stay around a while longer.

Soul lance can be changed like what you suggested and it would be fine. I have never used it, but the 22dice damage does look powerful to all creatures in a 60ft line. I always thought several of these type of spells should be a dex save rather than con, but can see the reasoning. If you wanted to lower the damage to 16-18 dice you can give the option of a 60ft line or a 30ft cone.

See I considered the Dex save too just because the big bosses like dragons and what not have such high Constitution scores it really puts players that want to be necromancers at a disadvantage. Also out of curiosity, do you think energy drain needs to be a touch attack just for the flavor and cinematic aspect, or would it be a necessary power balance in exchange for the power increase?

 

[aco175]

I think the touch attack is more cinematic feel. If it is just damage than the bolt of necrotic like the emperor hitting Luke Skywalker in Return of the Jedi would be cool. As a player caster I would like to gain the HP from a distance rather than touch and as a DM I can see having my caster taking the HP from a distance as well. Maybe leave it with the range part to play better