Need opinions on a new spell.

[LordVyreth]

Two of my players want to use this spell they created. Does it look balanced to you? I think it looks okay. It has essentially the same damage range as a cone of cold, but does more damage against individual foes due to the lack of save and force-based damage. However, it doesn't really have much impact on a group of enemies. The general intent is that it works as an improved magic missile.

Mystic Barrage Evocation [Force]

Level: Sor/Wiz 5

Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Targets: Up to Fifteen creatures, no two of which can be more than 30 ft. apart

Duration: Instantaneous

Saving Throw: None

Spell Resistance: Yes

Missiles of magical energy dart from your fingertips, unerringly striking its target. These missiles deal 1d4+1 points of damage each. The missile strikes unerringly, even if the target is in melee or has anything less than total cover or concealment. Specific parts of a creature cannot be singled out. Inanimate objects (locks, etc.) cannot be damaged by the spell. Caster receives one missile for every level to a maximum of 15, you can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. A single missile can strike only one creature. You must designate targets before you roll for SR or roll damage.

 

[dcollins]

House Rules, please.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

Aren't there some meta-magic feats that could be applied to a regular magic missile that could reproduce the same effect (or nearly so)?

 

[Piratecat]

House Rules, please.

I'll slide it over. Hang on, everybody!

 

[blargney the second]

I seem to recall that there's a spell similar to this in Magic of Faerun. It's basically a suped-up Magic Missile.

-blarg

 

[Kalanyr]

Altamond:
Yeah Twin spell, applied 2 times (only viable in 3.0), which makes it a 9th level spell, and not a very good one at that and even that would limit you to targetting the same 5 creatures 3 times.

It looks okay to me at 5th. Its well below the 15d6 to each creature for a multitarget spell and about the same as 15d6 to a single creature which is slightly inferior but its compensated for by a higher average, some certainty of minimum damage, no save and force damage.

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

Seems good maybe up to level 6 because is a force effect, no save, no roll to hit
Don't mistake this spell is for only one target Emp or Max will be great

 

[Kalanyr]

At level 6 you can nail them with Disintegrate for 22d6 with a ranged touch attack with a fort save (for 5d6 for some reason, now that disintegrate is just a damage dealer you'd think it'd be half)which scales as high as 40d6, this caps at 15d4+15, I think its fairly safe to say the disintegrate is better.

 

[LordVyreth]

At level 6 you can nail them with Disintegrate for 22d6 with a ranged touch attack with a fort save (for 5d6 for some reason, now that disintegrate is just a damage dealer you'd think it'd be half)which scales as high as 40d6, this caps at 15d4+15, I think its fairly safe to say the disintegrate is better.

Yes, but the 5d6 is the point. You either do the whole amount, or a tiny bit that is barely worth acknowledging. That's why the damage for disintegrate is so high compared to even 9th level spells like meteor swarm.

 

[Anubis]

Level 5 sounds good, as all Level 6 spells trump it and Cone of Cold is roughly the same level of power with higher damage and a save. Here is my reasoning:

Cone of Cold does an average of 52.5, 26.25 on a save; it also potentially hits many more targets, though.

This spell does an average of 52.5 damage as well with no save, but it also has limited range and fewer targetting possibilities.

As such, the two spells are about equal.