Michael's MtG Spell thread (last update: Blockbuster 3/7/7)

[Michael Morris]

Red. Yes it's about emotion, freedom, action, creativity - but at the end of the day (and most of the time) it's about DAMAGE. It is said goblins have 47 words for "ow" So here's another.

Aura Barbs
Transmutation [Red]
Level: (6), Drd 7
Components: V, S
Range: Close
Effect: All creatures in range
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fort 1/2
Spell Resistance: Yes

All other spellcasters in range of this spell are dealt 1d6 force damage for every level of every spell they currently have in effect - to a maximum of 25d6. Casters can drop any spell they are maintaining to avoid this damage if they can drop it normally.

 

[Michael Morris]

So the CON damage is no longer permanent?

It lasts until restored by lesser restoration, restoration or greater magic.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Ah, okay.

 

[Arkhandus]

So.....now Blessing of Leeches is the uber "My 1st-level cleric will kick your orc army's ass single-handedly" spell? Or "My 1st-level cleric is going to beat your 10th-level fighter into a bloody pulp" spell..... As it is, Fast Healing 6 or 7 would make the character extremely hard to kill without regularly dealing 12+ damage per hit (i.e. an ogre).... Perhaps Fast Healing 6, +1 per five caster levels, to a max of FH 10? That's the absolute most powerful I could see it being, and it's probably overmuch anyway.

Aura Barbs is cool but nasty..... By that level, any given spellcaster faced may have around 4+ spells active of 2nd-level or so, 1-2 1st-level spells and 2-3 3rd-level spells, and 2-3 higher-level spells, I'm guessing...... That's sorta like an "I dispel all your stuff unless you want to die instead?" Consider that a high-level wizard or sorcerer has abysmal Fortitude and hit points both...... Aura Barbs is something a 14th-level-ish sorcerer might face, so..... 10d6 damage or so is likely to kill him, unless he has high Con, in which case 14d6 damage almost surely will. Unlike against Fireball, the sorcerer can't just have a Protection from Elements (Fire) or Fire Shield active to save his fragile hide from certain doom. Stoneskin also won't help it seems. Nor Globe of Invulnerability, nor is Protection from Spells likely to be sufficient (and that's a 7th-level or 8th-level spell itself) because sorcerers have low Fortitude (though it might just barely be sufficient). Spell Turning just might, possibly, save his poor little butt once, and that's about it.

I'm not sure if a Wall of Force would, if placed properly, shield the character from Aura Barbs. I'd have to read up on how range and such work, to see if unobstructed line of sight is needed for this sort of effect as it's not exactly an area of effect. Resilient Sphere would guard against it I guess, though it requires sealing the character away so he can't affect the battle whatsoever.

I'd suggest that Aura Barbs instead deal 1 damage per spell level rather than 1d6 per spell level. Maybe 2 damage per spell level. Or something. But considering how there's almost nothing that will guard against Aura Barbs..... And the fact that not all spells with a duration are dismissable.

If you think I'm just being annoying or something, just ask me not to respond any further to this thread, I really don't care either way. I just think constructive criticism is better than letting abusable or worthless stuff get published/used unfixed.

 

[Michael Morris]

Ok, let's set Blessing leeches to 5 / 5 levels, fast heal 5 at 1st, 10 at 5th, 15 at 10th level and max out at 20 at 15th level.

The damage of aura barbs is created not by aura barbs but the spells themselves. It is a bit overblown though and needs to be adjusted though.

 

[Michael Morris]

Here we go -

Struggle for Sanity
Necromancy [Black, Metamagic]
Level: (3), Sor / Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will Neg.
Spell Resistance: Yes.

If the target creature fails their saving throw against this spell they must make a new willpower save for each and every spell prepartion they have. Each time they fail, they lose the spell as if cast. The DC to keep each spell is 10 + level of the spell they wish to keep + your casting ability modifiers for this spell (So if your casting ability modifier is +4 and you have greater spell focus necromancy (+2) their saves to retain spells would be 16 for cantrips, 17 for 1st level spells, 18 for 2nd and so on).

Casters who don't prepare spells aren't affected by this spell.

Arcane Component: Strips of cloth from the robes of a madman.



(Alternate resolution mechanic: At higher levels characters can have so many spell slots that this can take a long time to ajudicate. If you feel this is the case you may wish to allow one saving throw for each spell level that, if failed, causes the loss of all spells of that level. This makes the spell slightly more random but doesn't affect it's overall power).

 

[darthkilmor]

The DC to keep each spell is 10 + level of the spell they wish to keep + your casting ability modifiers for this spell (So if your casting ability modifier is +4 and you have greater spell focus necromancy (+2) their saves to retain spells would be 16 for cantrips, 17 for 1st level spells, 18 for 2nd and so on).

A bit wordy, maybe just say "The DC to keep each spell is the save DC as if the spell was cast" or seomthing more along those lines.

But aside from that, the (off)chance to make someone lose all their prepared spells with a 4th lvl spell is pretty powerful. Shoot, powerful enough to simply stick in a wand and spam all opposing spellcasters with. I would stick this one at 7th lvl myself.
Maybe something more along the lines of "If you fail to save, lose a random spell of your highest casting ability"

 

[JimAde]

A bit wordy, maybe just say "The DC to keep each spell is the save DC as if the spell was cast" or seomthing more along those lines.

But you use your own ability modifier, while the "save DC as if the spell was cast" would be based on the victim's ability modifier. Hence the wordiness.

Maybe: "Use the level of the spell to be lost instead of this spell's level when calculating the save DC." Or something like that.

 

[VirgilCaine]

Very cool spells. *Yoink*

 

[Michael Morris]

A bit wordy, maybe just say "The DC to keep each spell is the save DC as if the spell was cast" or seomthing more along those lines.

But aside from that, the (off)chance to make someone lose all their prepared spells with a 4th lvl spell is pretty powerful. Shoot, powerful enough to simply stick in a wand and spam all opposing spellcasters with. I would stick this one at 7th lvl myself.
Maybe something more along the lines of "If you fail to save, lose a random spell of your highest casting ability"

You're forgetting feeblemind. At 5th level, it removes all spellcasting ability and inflicts a -4 penalty to the save to boot. 7th level? Finger of Death is far better at that tier. No, 4th level it is, I'm quite certain of that. The number of saves you'd need to fail to be totally stripped of casting ability is insane, and the odds against it are far greater than the odds of simply killing the chap with phantasmal killer.